Life of a Teller
by meggie6
Summary: See the life of a fortune teller through her eyes. Sequel to Cursed with a Blessing. MannyXEllie DiegoXNelida OCXOC Now Completed!
1. Chapter 1

_**DISCLAIMER!!!!**_

_**I do NOT own Ice Age, Ice Age the Meltdown, or its Original Characters.**_

_**Ice Age & Ice Age the Meltdown © Twentieth Century Fox Animation & Blue Sky Studios.**_

_**All OC's © meggie6 **_

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The young tiger went slowly through the dark winding cave, following his elder brother.

"What news do you have, Damian?" His brother whispered.

The younger shook his head, "News of Nelida." He answered gravely.

"Did he send you to follow her?" He asked as he led his younger brother to the great chamber.

"Yes. Although it kills me to let that monster--"

"Shush!" the other growled, "It's bad enough that this pack doesn't trust us."

"Only because they don't understand, Aidan. If they would just listen,"

Aidan stopped and faced his brother angrily, "Don't jinx what we have." He said. "I also feel horrible about this, but we can't do anything about it."

The elder tiger received the same glare from Damian as he growled lightly.

With a turn toward the chamber he breathed, "You'll think differently when you hear the news."

Pondering his brothers meaning he followed him as he sat promptly beside him in front of a great saber.

His size was enormous, but it was only a small detail compared to his large, sharp sabers he had. His muzzle was speckled with grey from ageing, but his eyes held the youth of a strong and envied warrior. His yellow eyes gleamed as he glared at the younger tigers.

"Report." He said coldly, causing Damian's golden fur to stand on end.

Although scared out of his wits, the young tiger sat proudly. Taking a deep breath he said, "Matchitehew, the witch is heading south. She's accompanied with a group--"

He was interrupted by the great saber's echoing growl. "Which pack is allowing that _thing _stay with them!?"

Damian twitched as he addressed the female in question in a foul way. Resisting the urge to swipe his face off with his claws, he lowered his head.

"Sir, she is not staying with a _pack. _She is traveling with a herd of some sort…"

"A herd?" He confirmed. "A herd of what?"

"That's the thing sir." Damian said unsurely, "She is traveling with three mammoths, a sloth, two opossums, and…" He paused.

The saber clawed the earth impatiently. "_And?" _

"A-another saber sir. One from the valley that opened a year ago."

"Indeed?" Matchitehew grumbled.

"Yes sir. But his color… his color is of one from the mountains. Our mountains."

Aidan raised a brow. Surly his brother had to be joking. But he was not allowed to say his thought to Matchitehew at the moment. The larger saber hummed in thought.

"I have heard of a story that a saber from the mountains was traveling with a mammoth and a sloth." He murmured, "But now three mammoths, two possums, a female saber, and a sloth?"

Matchitehew eyed Damian suspiciously; he was obviously thinking the same as Aidan as he leaned in to get some truth from the smaller saber, "Not trying to help out that evil spirit, are you?" He asked.

"No, I --"

"Don't try to lie to me; I know your connection with the parasite."

Damian flinched, "Its true sir. I would never try to lie to you."

The larger saber grunted, slowly he backed away from the young tiger and sat on his haunches idly.

"Anything else?" He said.

"Yes sir. Nelida, she's…"

"Yes, Damian?" Matchitehew pressed.

"S-she, she's expecting… sir."

Aidan's eyes grew wide as he thought this over and over in his head. Nelida? Pregnant? He glanced nervously at Matchitehew, who looked about ready to explode.

"**What!?" **he thundered. "What idiotic, pathetic, lowlife would dare impregnate that witch?"

Damian swallowed his growl and faced him, "The saber that is with her, sir. I… I think he is a cousin of yours…"

"I have 27 cousins Damian." He grumbled, "What is the sabers _name_?"

"Diego." He said, "His name is Diego."

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Nelida woke with a yelp as she felt a movement against her stomach. Careful not to wake Diego, she went to the stream. Glancing at the moon she sighed.

"Almost full." She whispered to herself.

Listening to the river flow she closed her eyes, thinking of the vision she had a year ago. The young saber that was destined to be her daughter; the saber with Diego's look and her gift. Earlier in her pregnancy she didn't want a child to bear the burden of the curse. She'd walk off on her own, thinking of how she could possibly help the cub in her womb at that moment. After so much thinking she figured all she could really do is give words of advice.

She lapped up the freezing cold water from the melted snow, momentarily looking ever so often at the mark on her forehead.

"How comes you isn't sleepin'?" a small voice said.

Nelida turned to the small mammoth behind her. She shook her head as she was reminded of Manny's comment of her when she was first born.

"_Once she gets as tall as us she might be mistaken as me." _

And it was true; she looked so much like Manny, the only difference was the eyes were a lighter color of brown and the feminine touches she naturally had.

"I can't sleep." She replied, "Why aren't you asleep, Mina?"

The mammoth shrugged, "I don' know."

Nelida closed her eyes and heaved a sigh, "Why don't you go back to sleep, okay?"

Mina nodded her head and tumbled back between her parents. After a few squeaky mumbles she fell asleep just as quickly as Sid would.

Nelida smiled and slinked off into the woods. As she walked through the trees noiselessly, she felt that she was being watched. Thinking that it was just her nerves acting up, she continued slowly around. She couldn't help but to glance about every once in a while though. After looking around for the fifth time she heard a twig crack beside her.

Immediately she turned to the source, but didn't see much of anything as she doubled over in pain. A sharp, sudden feeling surged through her stomach causing pain in almost every vain in her body.

"Crap!" She yelled.

Without thinking she turned and ran as fast as she could, past the others and into a small cave that was in the side of a mountain.

Outside the cave and in the nearby trees; a saber observed everything, careful not to step on any twigs _this time_.

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_**Okay, let's see how this story turns out! Enjoy! **_


	2. Chapter 2

"Psssst… Diego… Diego wake up… Psssst… Diego…"

The saber shook his head angrily and clamped his paws over his ears as Nelida stood over him. The saber looked at the others, hoping that her attempt to wake Diego wasn't going to wake them as well. With quick gabs at Diego's side she tried again.

"Psssst… Psssssssssst… Diego… PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST… WAKE UP DIEGO!" She whispered angrily.

With a grumble Diego looked up at her, "I'm awake now." He whispered, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Nelida said as she rolled her eyes, "Come on, unless you don't want to see your cubs."

Diego blinked, "Already?"

The saber gave a huff of frustration as she turned into the cave, "Your hopeless, you know that?" she called lightly.

Rolling his eyes, Diego slowly got up from his spot and entered the cave. Nelida curled herself around the bundles of fur and yawned loudly, causing a few cubs to squeak.

"Come on Diego, they're not going to eat you." She said as she yawned yet again.

Careful not to squish any of them he settled down on the opposite side of Nelida, curling himself the way she was. He glanced at the cubs and grunted softly to himself.

Nelida raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Pardon?" He replied.

"You grunted…"

"Oh, oh that?" Diego responded, "Just wondering how many there were."

Nelida smiled and looked back at the cubs, "There are five; three boys, two girls."

"How can you tell?" he asked as he looked over the pile of little cubs.

"I just can." She said mysteriously, "You can name the first one."

Diego raised an eyebrow, blinked, and then looked back at Nelida, "I don't know any good names."

"Just say one." Nelida said, knowing what was coming up.

"What do you think about Maria?" Diego asked.

"Maria… I like it."

"Which one will that be?" He replied.

Nelida lifted a claw and stroked a particular fur bundle that was Diego's exact fur color. It meowed sweetly as it stretched itself out and tried to claw at its mothers paw. Nelida chuckled at the cub.

"This one."

Diego smiled.

"_Wow déjà vu." _Nelida thought as she stroked Maria's right shoulder. Sure enough there was a small white speckle on the shoulder that would soon be a swirl.

"Your turn." Diego said with a yawn.

Snapping out of her trance she said, "Alright… Ummm. Ted?"

"Ted?" Diego asked with disgust, "Seriously?"

Nelida rolled her eyes, "Okay, okay. No Ted… Payton?"

"That's better. Which one looks like a Payton to you?"

She looked over the three boys carefully, finally putting her paw over a small one that was a dark creamed color. "This one looks like Payton."

Diego nodded, "How about Dillon for this darker one?" he asked as he placed his paw over a cub that had his fur color.

"I like Dillon…" She said softly. "Now we just have one boy and one girl to name… Jessica?"

"Naw, too formal." Diego replied.

"Brittany?"

"Yuck."

"Tiffany?"

"Double yuck."

Nelida huffed loudly and sighed. Then she thought for a moment and said, "Viridian?"

Diego blinked, "Where'd that name come from?"

"My Great Grandmothers name. It's supposed to be the name of a dark greenish-blue color."

"That's a better name than Tiffany any day. Now the last one."

"Trevor?"

Diego paused, "Trevor?"

Nelida shrugged, "I like it."

"I guess it's not that bad."

"Trevor it is then." Nelida said with a sigh. "I'm gonna take a nap. Don't let Sid do anything stupid around the cubs. It'll start to grow on them."

Diego chuckled as he turned his body to face the outside of the cave. He stopped at mid-yawn as he saw something in the shrubs nearby. He paused, watching intently for any more movements.

He suddenly remembered the eerie feeling he had earlier this season, the feeling where you feel as if you're being watched 24/7. Although it felt like someone was there, there was nothing to prove that someone was normally around. Thinking that he was just nervous about being a father, he shook it off.

This time he knew something was up. Keeping his eyes open Diego laid his head on his paws, just staring at the shrub like nobody's business.

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Damian froze, silently cursing at himself at his stupid decision. He just had to move _right _when Diego was facing his way. Just great. Way to go Damian, you're gonna get killed before you can even _look _at a female. Slowly he put his raised paw back down, careful not to rub against something. If anything was bad, it was getting a father of cubs mad; and if anything was possibly worse than that, it was getting a _mother _of cubs mad.

Normally, Damian was a good tracker; why else would they have chosen him? His small frame fit into almost any hole, and his cream coat was good for hiding in white flowers, light bushes, and even snow when the ice age took place. For some odd reason however, he keeps stepping on twigs and stupid dead leafs. Stupid trees and their stupid twigs and stupid changing, dying leafs; they're just like him at the moment: stupid, stupid, and STUPID!

So he waited… and waited… and waited… then he realized he had to pee. Again he cursed. This was just not his day; was it?

FINALLY, the sloth had woken up and waddled into the cave with Diego and Nelida. Taking his chance he bounded into the trees as far as he could go so the group wouldn't hear him stepping on the stupid twigs…


	3. Chapter 3

Six weeks later

Sid was busily munching away at some blue berries… or were they purple? Anyway, he didn't care as long as they didn't poison him. He sat at the trunk of a tree, watching the flower petals fall off the trees. The bright pink petals fell on the white flowered bushes, making it seem that someone had colored half of the shrub pink and the other white. Sighing as he leaned deeply against the tree, he closed his eyes, still munching at the berries. But soon after he had gotten comfortable he hear a tiger growl in the bush ahead of him. He saw the light reflect against the tigers blue eyes and chuckled nervously.

"Yes, you're very funny Nell… he he, yeah I'm scared… so you can stop now… please?" he said.

The tiger didn't reply; it kept staring at him as yet another tiger came up beside it, this one with green eyes.

"Diego? This isn't funny anymore. I'm actually scared now. You can stop no—Ahhhhhh!" suddenly he was interrupted mid sentence as a pile of fur landed on top of him from a tree branch, sticking him with tiny sharp claws.

Sid trembled, keeping his arms over his head to somehow protect himself. After a few short moments though something crawled on his head and lay itself down comfortably across his neck.

"Good Mornin' Uncle Sid." Said a squeaky voice.

Sid looked up suddenly, causing him to be eye to eye with a pair of familiar emerald green eyes. The tiny cub smiled with delight as she practically hung from his head.

"Oh, hello Maria." Sid chimed happily, turning his head he looked at the other four on his back.

"Mornin' Uncle Sid." They crooned as they all leaped off of Sid's back.

Clumsily Sid sat back up, sighing at the two older sabers who sat in front of him.

"Look, target practice is fun when you _tell_ me that you're using me, but when you don't you scare the crap out of me. Can't you use the Possums?"

Diego shook his head, chuckling slightly as the cubs persistently jumped on Sid's back. "They're too fast for the cubs." He said, "The only one that really can catch them is Viridian."

The small saber held her head up high at the mention of her name, "I is fast Daddy." She gloated, her dark greenish-blue eyes glowing with pride.

Sid rolled his eyes, "Well can't you use Mina?"

"Of course not." Nelida scoffed. "Their sharp claws could hurt her too badly."

"Can't one of you guys be targets for once?"

"No. They need to practice hunting _pray_. Not other sabers." Diego answered.

Sid sighed in defeat and got to his feet with an extra huff of frustration, "Okay, okay. I'll be your target… for now."

Nelida and Diego laughed as they followed Sid back to the small clearing with the cubs trailing behind them. As they entered from the trees Mina ran toward the saber cubs causing them to run around in circles with the crazy mammoth calf after them.

Diego sat beside Manny who was watching the kids play. After a few short seconds Diego turned toward the mammoth.

"I think someone's following us." He said quietly.

"What kind of someone?" Manny asked without looking away from the pile of fur that had attacked Sid.

"Saber." Diego replied as he glanced at Nelida and Ellie. "I think he's been following us even before the cubs were born."

"What could he want?"

"He could want to eat the cubs for all we know."

"Or Mina." Manny added gravely.

"Or the possums." Diego said with a laugh.

"Seriously Diego, we need to let Ellie and Nell know."

The saber nodded slowly, grunting in response. Diego got up from his spot and sat beside Nelida, without even looking up from grooming Trevor she knew he was there.

"You came to tell me that someone's following us." She whispered, causing Trevor to look up at his mother in confusion.

"One of your visions?" Diego asked unsurprisingly.

"One of the better ones." She answered cheekily.

"Why Mama?" Trevor asked sweetly. "Why is they following?"

Diego smiled at his son's squeaky voice as Nelida rubbed the top of his head, "We don't know baby. Nothing to worry about though." She assured.

"Why?" Diego asked.

Nelida rolled her eyes, "This was a really long vision. In about thirty seconds or so Mina is gonna scream and a saber is gonna pop out from those bushes. You'll jump in front of him before he gets to her and he'll stop."

Diego stared at her in amazement, finally he said. "Then what?"

"The vision stopped there. Don't hurt him though, I know him. You've got about ten seconds."

Diego raised an eye brow and turned toward the bushes where Mina and the other four cubs were playing.

"Wait for it." Nelida said as she continued to groom Trevor. After a moment she said, "Three. Two. One."

Like clockwork Mina screamed, causing all of the cubs to scatter around. Like Nelida had predicted a dark cream colored saber chased Mina before he was blocked by a larger saber. He stopped suddenly and started to back away before he glanced at Nelida.

"Long time no see, Damian." She said happily.

The tiger named Damian smiled back until he looked back at Diego, who was still glaring at him suspiciously. Nelida cleared her throat making Diego look at her and not the poor Saber he was scaring.

"Guys, this is Damian. My baby brother."


	4. Chapter 4

Damian huffed angrily as he sat on his haunches. "I'm not a _baby_ anymore Nell."

"You'll always be my _baby _brother though." Nelida answered, "Go on now Trevor, you're done." She added sweetly to the star struck cub who was staring at the newcomer.

Nelida calmly walked over him as he seemed frozen to the spot and sat in a circle between Damian and Diego. Trevor blinked as his sister Maria sat beside him.

"Mama know he was coming." Trevor said quietly.

"I had dream about dat." Maria whispered, causing Trevor to stare at her.

"Dada say she have fision. What fision Maria? Why mama have dem?"

The female didn't reply as she stared at the three sabers talking. She felt a chill go up her back as the new person glanced at them, but mostly at her.

"They talk about white spot…" Maria said without looking at her brother.

"How you know?" Trevor asked uncertainly.

"I don' know."

Trevor sat beside her awhile longer till her unblinking eyes at the newcomer started to creep him out. Slowly he started walking back to his brothers, sister and Mina.

"I think I has fisions too." Maria said to Trevor.

Trevor stopped and pawed at his sister's shoulder, "Let's go Maria." He said urgently, "I have bad feeling."

Maria turned to walk away but stopped and looked Trevor in the eye. He shivered as his crystal blue eyes reflected in her green ones.

"No tell mama or dada." She whispered hauntingly.

Trevor gave her a small nod, letting her go towards the others first and following her slowly. He looked back at the older sabers and shuddered. There was something very wrong about this.

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Nelida raised an eye brow as the two young cubs stared at them instead of playing with their siblings. She turned to Diego.

"Has Maria been acting strangely to you?" She whispered.

"Not really, you think it has to do with that spot?"

"What spot?" Damian asked as he glanced at the two cubs. That's when he saw the white spot on the female's right shoulder.

'Looks more like a swirl to me.' He thought, thinking of the swirl on Nelida's forehead. 'Another fortune teller perhaps? Dear lord when Matchitehew hears about this…'

"So how's everyone back home?" Nelida asked.

Damian came out from his thoughts and shrugged at her question, "Everyone split up a few seasons back. Me and Aidan--"

He paused, wondering if that was too much information he was giving her.

"Aidan?" Diego asked. "Didn't I know him?"

Nelida nodded, "He was my older brother. Remember? He used to baby sit us and he taught us some fighting techniques when our moms went hunting."

"Oh yeah." Diego said idly.

"So what about you and Aidan?" Nelida continued.

Damian glanced back over at the cubs, only to see that they had run off. "We… we decided to stay with a pack together."

"Which one?" Diego asked.

The younger saber blinked, "Ummm. I don't know the name…" He bluffed.

"_Young_ sabers."Diego murmured as he walked off to sit beside Manny.

Damian looked around at the others that crowded around him. 'Sloth, possums, and mammoths, oh my.' He thought.

"How can you stand living with them?" Damian asked his sister.

Nelida shrugged, "They grow on you…" she said. "Some more than others."

She chuckled softly as the cubs pounced after the possums, trying to somehow catch them. Finally the smallest one caught up with them and jumped them, laughing happily as she sat on one while the other tried to push her off.

"So, there names are?"

Nelida turned to her brother, "Oh sorry. The one that's sitting on the possum is Viridian; the one chasing after the other possum is Dillon; Trevor is the lighter one that's playing with Payton; and Maria is with Diego."

"Daddy's little girl, huh?" Damian asked.

Nelida rolled her eyes, "You have no idea."

"Did she… did she get the… you know, gift? From you?"

Nelida closed her eyes and sighed, "That's what I believe anyway." She whispered.

Damian raised an eye brow, "Is that a bad thing?"

"Sometimes." She said, "How long are you staying?"

"Not very. I'm needed by tomorrow, and it's a pretty long trip."

Nelida nuzzled against him, "I won't keep you then."

Damian nodded and turned to leave.

"Damian?"

He turned back to his elder sister. "Yeah?"

"What are you doing here anyway?" She asked.

"Patrol. Smelled your friends here and thought I'd get a quick snack. Thought wrong I guess."

Nelida smiled, "Big time." She said. "Now get going cub, you wouldn't want to be late."

"Nope." Damian replied. "Bye!"

Nelida nodded, and with that he bounced back into the bushes and ran until he was too far away to be seen. Diego sat beside Nelida, who stared after her younger brother sadly.

"He smells like the person following us." Diego said gravely.

"He is the person following us." Nelida replied. "He'll be back too."

She walked toward the others slowly, Diego following after.

"Now what?" Manny asked the sabers.

Diego looked at Nelida who seemed troubled about the turns of events. After a moment of glancing at the little ones she turned to Ellie.

"How far do you think Mina can walk?" She asked.

Ellie's eyes widened, "For half a day at least."

Nelida nodded, "The cubs can go far enough too."

"So we're running?" Diego asked her.

Nelida hummed in reply, "Yep, we're running." She said as she turned her head west. "Saber style."

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_**Nope, I'm not very good at writing baby language… then again who is? R&R Please!!!!**_


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm tired."

"Can we stop for a break?"

"My paws hurt."

"Where are we going, Mama?"

"Are we there yet?"

Diego groaned in frustration, pinning his ears to his head. "Sid. Do _anything_ to distract them. They're giving me a headache!"

Nelida shook her head as she walked alongside him. "What did you want kids for?"

"I have no idea." He replied.

"Mommy, why is Tigger growlin'?" Mina said from behind.

Diego turned toward the mammoths behind them. Mina was between the two, looking up at Ellie and holding Manny's trunk. Manny chuckled and glanced at Diego.

"_Tigger_ has a headache sweetheart." Manny answered, using Mina's favorite word for Diego.

"Why?" Mina asked.

"Because Tigger's babies are talking too much." Ellie said.

Diego sighed and turned back to the front where Nell was trying not to laugh.

She nudged him gently, "Aww come on _Tigger_." She cooed. "Just a few more miles. I know where we can go for awhile. I have a couple of friends that will take us in… for a possum or two."

"We can hear you!" Crash called from behind.

"Who exactly are these friends?" Diego asked.

Nelida glanced at Maria and Trevor who were running a little farther ahead. After a moment she looked back at Diego. "The Spirit Chasers." She said.

"The who?"

"Spirit Chasers. They're a famous wolf pack."

Diego raised an eye brow. "A wolf pack? Are you sure that's safe with the cubs and Mina?"

Nelida shook her head, "Once they know you're my friends they'll treat you like royalty."

Diego looked behind him, one… two… three… He looked around and saw four and five far in the distance. Nelida walked a little quicker.

"Maria, Trevor! Don't go so far!" The cubs stopped and started running back.

"Mind explaining more?" Diego continued.

"Wolfs are more spiritual than sabers. The Spirit Chasers clan is one of the packs that have a religion based on spirits and mighty wolf gods." Nelida rolled her eyes at the last sentence and added, "When they start talking about their gods just listen to what they say and don't tell them you don't believe in stuff like that."

"After living with you for a year, I'll believe in anything." Diego said idly.

Maria and Trevor ran up at that moment, looking rather tired and scared. Maria looked up at her parents, "Mama big, mean wolfys are gonna come! They gonna be angry!"

Nelida looked at her daughter, confusion and fear masking her face. "W-what?"

"Big, mean wolfys, Mama!" Trevor repeated.

"Whoa, calm down guys! It's okay, there are no big… wolfys." Diego said, trying to calm them.

Manny and Ellie caught up with them with Sid, Crash, and Eddie trailing behind. "Something wrong?" Manny asked.

Diego looked around at the trees, "We're not sure…" he said slowly.

"Dada…" Maria crooned. "Can we go away from here peez?"

"Maria, where did you see the wolfys?" Diego asked her.

The cub's ears lowered, "In my head."

Diego glanced at Nelida who looked about ready to be sick. She glanced at the trees on both sides of the trail and started walking forward, "Let's keep moving."

Diego caught up with her, "It's probably the wolf pack you mentioned earlier."

"Yeah, but I'd like to get to their resting spot before we get attacked by the hunting wolfs. Its gonna be fight first ask questions later."

"Do you think Maria just had a vision?" Diego whispered.

Nelida nodded, "Without a doubt. I didn't think she would start having visions so soon."

Diego stopped, "Why does it sound like you knew she would be psychic?"

"I probably should have told you." Nelida said sadly as she stopped with him.

"Why didn't you?"

Nelida looked at her feet, "I don't know."

Suddenly Mina and the cubs screamed, along with Sid running madly behind the mammoths. Six red wolfs had everyone, except Diego and Nelida, surrounded. They snapped wildly at the mammoths' feet and barked at the cubs. Diego ran into the circle, roaring and clawing at half of them. Nelida jumped in with him, protecting the cubs and Mina from the last three. This didn't last long as an older wolf jumped in front of Nelida, barking at the younger hunters.

"Stop you blundering idiots! Don't you recognize the fortune teller?" he yelled, causing everything to freeze.

The younger wolfs backed up slowly, their heads bowed in respect and apology. Nelida turned to the old wolf.

"Thank-you Arthur." She said.

Arthur dipped his head respectfully, "Anything for a Spirit Walker."

Nelida smiled, "It's nice to see you again. We were actually coming your way to ask a favor."

"Oh?" He asked, glancing at the small cubs that hid underneath Diego.

"We need to stay somewhere safe. I believe someone is trying to get rid of me, and have been sending spies after me and my family." She continued.

Arthur nodded and looked over the strange herd. "I see. We would have to ask the pack leaders of course, but I see no reason why they would say no."

"Thank-you." Nelida replied.

"No trouble at all. Come, we'll never get there talking the day away."

"Sir?" A small hunter asked, "What would you like for us to do?"

"Continue north, Katarina will lead. Is that alright Katarina?"

"Yes Sir." The largest one replied, dipping her head.

"Send the call so the others know you're leading the northern troop." Arthur added as the hunters started.

Again the wolf nodded and raised her muzzle. She howled loudly, her cry spreading across the forest and echoing into the distance. After a long howl she barked sharply a few times and finally ran along with the other five hunters.

"That is my daughter." Arthur said as they ran off.

Nelida smiled, "I thought so." She said as she caught up with him, "She's grown a lot from when I first met her."

Arthur nodded, "Pups grow quickly, just as quickly as your cubs will."

Nelida dipped her head and slowed a bit for the others to catch up. She started walking as Diego came up alongside her.

"Like I said." She whispered to him. "They treat me like some kind of goddess."

"Goddess of Annoyance."Diego replied teasingly, receiving a sharp nip on the ear.

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**_R&R Peez! Don't be afraid to tell me if I'm slacking off on something or if you'd like for me to explain more about whats happening! Feedback like that will help me greatly!_**

**_TTYL! :)_**


	6. Chapter 6

Sabers fought with wolfs; fought to the death. Clashing, clawing, tearing, pain. Searing pain that spread through the mind, ripped at the skin, spilled blood at the thought.

Why? Why were they attacking a young female saber? What was special about this young saber? She looked no more different than the older saber protecting her. Except for the white smudge on her shoulder. No, not smudge… a swirling, white birth mark…

* * *

Maria gasped as she woke from a horrible nightmare. It felt so real, like she was there. Was it really a nightmare?

Slowly she crawled way from her brothers and sisters, passing her parents and their friends with ease. Silently she went pass the guard wolfs, who were supposed to be awake, and through the path of a pup den, unaware of glowing, watching eyes in the darkness. Maria came to a river, the river her parents had to carry her across. She really didn't like water, much like her father. Not knowing where she would go, she followed the river upstream.

Her mind took her as she watched the shiny fish swimming in the light of the full moon. Two eyes shone in the trees behind her as she looked into her mind. Was it a dream? All of her dreams seemed to come true these days. The wolfs, the new comer, Payton falling out of the tree. Maria giggled at the thought, remembering how she told her brother not to, but he did. Only Trevor knew about this though, she trusted him.

She continued to follow the river for what seemed like minutes, were really about two hours. Maria looked around. Was she in the same place she started? She looked into the trees, seeing her parents and her snoring brothers. She looked behind her, in front of her, into the river.

"It's a circle." She whispered.

"The Circle of Harmona." Said a small voice from behind.

Maria spun around quickly, seeing two eyes glow back at her. She tried to produce something like a growl, only to sound like a loud purr. The voice chuckled lightly as a small wolf pup came from the trees. The pups gray fur shined radiantly in the moon light, causing Maria to raise a brow in interest. The weird glow from his eyes melted to a brilliant ocean blue as he approached slowly.

"Legend tells of a she-wolf in white, who when the spring and fall comes, walks on the river water and brings equal time between night and day." He whispered in a beautiful voice that told a thousand stories. "Harmona brings peace between the night and day gods, singing a beautiful song of rippling water to them. Ending long days in summer, or long nights in winter." He sat down in front of Maria cautiously. "The Circle of Harmona was made by the gods, so her rippling song could last forever."

"Wow." Maria whispered. "That was beautiful."

The pup smiled, showing dozens of white, razor sharp teeth. "Elder wolf told me and my den brothers and sisters the story."

"Who Elder Wolf?" Maria asked.

"Elder Wolf oldest and wisest wolf in pack. He tell stories passed down from his Elder Wolf to him." The pup answered happily, "What your name?"

Maria sat on her haunches, "Maria."

The pup smiled and scratched his ear with his hind leg. He lay down on his stomach, causing Maria to lie down as well. "I Avnar."

"Avnar?" The cub asked surprisingly.

"It mean 'ocean'." He answered kindly, "Why you out here all by yourself?"

"Just walkin'." Maria answered softly.

Avnar flea bit a paw for a moment, "I follow you around circle. You woke me up when you pass den."

"Sorry." The cub said.

"No sorry, I have bad dream anyway." Avnar replied in a whispered.

Maria blinked, "Me too. What yours about?"

"Saber fighting wolf. Scary dream. Like it was real." He whispered hauntingly.

Maria looked at the paw he was flea biting; it had a red colored star on the middle of it. The saber gasped. "You like me." She whispered. "You have fisions like me and Mama!"

"I Spirit Walker?" the pup asked, astonished.

Maria nodded rapidly. "You have same dream like me." She said quickly.

Avnar glanced at the star on his paw, then at the swirl on Maria's shoulder. "Why mine different?"

"I don't know. Let's ask Mama." Maria said, getting up and heading toward her parents.

The wolf pup jumped in front of her, causing her to stop. They looked one another in the eye, their color shining in the dark. They stayed that way for a second, their noses touching one another. The wolf blinked and Maria sat on her haunches, they looked away.

"Let's ask Elder Wolf." Avnar said quietly, straying his eyes away from the cub. "He know."

Maria nodded, following the strange wolf pup into the darkness.

_**

* * *

**_

_**Yeah I know it's a little short. Sorry for taking such a long time updating! R&R Please!!!! **_


	7. Chapter 7

Damian sat quietly, waiting for Matchitehew to give him the okay and speak. The large saber eyed him angrily, as if he knew what Damian had done. Damian bit his lip.

"Report." His cold voice spoke.

Damian swallowed, "Nelida has given birth to five cubs, sir. Three boys and two girls. All are healthy."

Matchitehew nodded, "Continue."

"I've learned that she has strong bonds with the others in the group. She calls them her "herd". Her and Diego hunt at night and early morning and do not eat in front of the plant eaters."

"Interesting." The large saber whispered.

"Also, one of the cubs she gave birth to has the gift, sir." Damian said as quietly as he could. "She has a white swirl like her mother's on her right shoulder."

Matchitehew's eyes glowed with interest, "Really… how nice."

"Sir?" Damian asked, confused.

"Don't you see Damian? We could use this young cub. Obviously the witch will protect the fortune teller with every well being in her body. Taking her child from her and using the cub as bait will be easy."

"But sir, they're always with the mammoths and their parents. I don't suppose we could even get _one_ cub out from their protection." Damian replied fearfully.

"Ah, but we have careful plans and strategies to take the fortune teller from her. Right from under their noses." He replied with blood lust in every word.

Damian flinched, "But sir--"

"No more buts Damian." He said hauntingly, "Now tell me. Which way has Nelida gone now?"

Damian swallowed once more, only to find that his mouth was dry. "East." He said quickly, hoping Matchitehew wouldn't catch his lie.

Matchitehew didn't notice, "Good. Follow them once more. Report when something interesting happens."

Damian nodded and quickly walked out. His brother met him at the mouth of the cave.

"You lied to him." Aidan whispered. "You told me Nelida went west."

"I just can't let him do that to Nelida." Damian said as he walked into the woods to keep from wandering ears. "I've never seen her so happy. _Actually_ I haven't seen her in years."

"What are you gonna do when Matchitehew finds out you lied?" Aidan asked angrily.

"He won't. I'll go east from where I last saw the herd."

"And when you don't have his report?" Aidan continued.

Damian shook his head, "Oh he'll have his report."

Aidan stopped him, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Damian said as he sat down, "You'll go west and follow Nelida."

"No, Damian." Aidan said crossly, "What makes you think I'll do that?"

"Because she's your little sister." Damian whispered, "You can't let him steal your niece… or your nephews for that matter."

"And you can't go because..?"

Damian continued walking, "One, Matchitehew will follow my scent to get to Nelida. If I go west he'll know something's up."

"That's one but--"

"Two, Diego knew I was following them from the moment I started. If he catches me stalking them again he could possibly kill me."

"Damian I--"

"And three, they're being protected by wolfs."

Aidan stopped and looked at his brother strangely. "Wolfs?" He asked surprisingly.

"You've dealt with wolfs before, you know their motives and how their packs work." Damian answered. "If anyone can watch a group of wolfs without them knowing, it's you."

Aidan looked at him thoughtfully and sighed. "If I get killed by either Diego or the wolfs I'll come back to haunt you."

Damian nodded, "We'll go to the last place I saw them and we'll separate there. I'll try to make my path obvious so Matchitehew won't follow your path."

"What if this doesn't work?" Aidan asked. "What are we going to do then?"

Damian shook his head, "Just try to keep Nell and her cubs safe."

Aidan looked around and appointed to his brother, "Which way and how far?"

"South. About a two days journey to where I last saw them. Their heading for the Spirit Chasers; they should be there already."

His brother nodded, "Alright then." He said as he started off south.

Damian ran beside him, "Aren't they gonna wonder where you are?"

Aidan shook his head as he ran; grimly he said "They were going to kill me anyway…"

* * *

Maria walked slowly into the large cave, staring awestruck at the paintings humans had left on the wall. Avnar lead her deeper into the cave, walking slowly for her to catch up. They came to a wide chamber that had a hole in the ceiling, letting the moon light in perfectly. On the edge of the circle of light was an old white wolf that was peppered in black and grey spots. The wolf smiled as the children came up to him.

"Ah, Avnar. I knew someone would come and see me tonight." He said softly.

The grey pup sat in front of him and dipped his head. Maria came and sat beside him, Elder Wolf smiled at this.

"Oh, I see you've brought a friend." He said, "What is your name, young cub?"

"Maria." She answered quietly.

Elder Wolf nodded at her quietness, "There is no need to be afraid. My bite and my bark have faded with age."

Maria nodded as the old wolf lay down in front of them.

"I feel that you young ones came to ask me something?"

Avnar nodded, "Maria has a swirly on her shoulder, and I have a star on my paw. What are they? Why is they not the same?"

Elder Wolf smiled, "Those are marks of the angels. You have been given gifts from the sky above, you are meant to have them."

"Why?" Maria asked. "Why my sister or brothers don't have it?"

"The universe works in strange ways." He said shrugging. "Your mother asked me the very same questions; Why me? What's it for? Can I get rid of it?"

"Mama?" Maria whispered.

"Yes little one. You have gotten the gift from your mother, just as you've gotten your appearance from your father."

Avnar raised an eye brow, "Why I have it?"

Elder Wolf shook his head, "That I also do not know. Perhaps you are, quite literally, soul mates."

Maria yawned loudly, causing Avnar to yawn as well. Elder Wolf clicked his tongue.

"You little ones need rest. Why don't you stay here and we'll talk more in the morning." He whispered.

Maria nodded slowly and went to a corner with Avnar following. They fell asleep quickly, causing the Elder Wolf to sigh.

"Such a blessing it is… But a curse to put on cubs and pups at a young age."

The old wolf yawned and lay beside the kids, resting his head on his paws. "I just hope the universe knows what it's doing…"


	8. Chapter 8

"Okay, okay. How 'bout this?! If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!" Sid sang to the group, clapping his hands at the end.

The cubs, pups and Mina looked at their paws/trunk in confusion. One small pup looked almost ready to cry. Sid looked around desperately.

"No, no, no! Don't cry! Ummm uh. Oh I know!" Sid yelled. He started clapping his hands. "Oh Mc Sid had a farm, E-I-E-I-O. And on that farm he had a…?" He pointed to the cubs.

They looked at one another strangely.

"No, no, no, you're supposed to say _tiger_! And on that farm he had a?"

Trevor looked at him in a funny way, "Tiger?"

"Yeah! E-I-E-I-O. With a…"

Dillon sat up, "This is boring!"

"Let's play target practice!" Payton said urgently.

The pups looked at them strangely, "What's that?" A little one asked.

"We practice our pouncing!" Viridian giggled happily.

"And Uncle Sid is the target!" Dillon finished.

Sid gulped as the pups and cubs got down to a playing position.

"Let's get 'em!" A black pup screamed.

As if they were chasing a big ball, all of the pups and cubs chased after Sid, with Mina chasing slowly afterwards. A small group of she-wolfs sat quietly under a tree, watching this hilarious site. They all laughed quietly.

"Dinner and a show, huh?" A black one asked the others.

A grey one nodded, "Tatiana's pup-sitter for the day."

A red wolf looked up from sleeping and yawned, "He can pup-sit my litter any day."

The other two laughed in agreement.

* * *

Nelida sat beside Diego, who was watching the kids play with Sid. She nudged him gently to get his attention.

"Are you okay Diego?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah." Diego said, nodding. "Maria's gone missing…"

Nelida calmly hummed in thought, causing Diego to tilt his head slightly.

"And you're okay with that?" He asked.

"She's with Elder Wolf and another wolf pup. Apparently Maria went to visit last night and fell asleep there."

Diego nodded again and chuckled slightly as Mina repeatedly hit Sid with her trunk while the smaller ones tackled him. "Where are Manny, Ellie, and the annoying possums?"

"Annoying possums at your service!" Eddie said from behind them, hanging from a tree branch.

Nelida took a paw and pushed him slightly, making him rock back and forth. "You two have been pretty quiet lately. Where's Crash?"

"Up here!" Said a voice from above. He appeared from a higher branch and sat beside where Eddie was hanging.

Nelida eyed Crash suspiciously, "You know I can't stop these wolfs from eating you if you guys get aggravating."

"Yeah, we know." Eddie said nonchalantly.

Nelida turned back toward Diego and sat back down beside him, "I believe Manny and Ellie are either enjoying free time while Sid's baby-sitting or eating somewhere."

"I haven't seen your brother around lately." Diego muttered quietly. "Do you think he left for good?"

Nelida shook her head, "They probably sent another scout."

Diego lay in the grass as he shrugged, "I sure hope they know what they're up against." He said, closing his eyes. "I sure wouldn't scout around a whole pack of wolfs."

* * *

Aidan knew wolfs like the back of his paw. How he knew he didn't really liked to talk about, but he knew. With a look of disgust covering his face he rolled in some mammoth poo, knowing that if he smelled like a saber not only would the wolfs know he was there but Diego and Nell would too. Quickly and quietly he padded through the river that circled the tribe and buried himself in a nearby bush.

As he looked through a small hole in the shrubs he could see the cubs playing with the wolf pups. Aidan couldn't help but smile a bit, but his smile faded quickly at the number of older wolfs. 17 to be exact and either one of them could catch him if he made even one foul move. Getting into a comfortable position he watched the four cubs playing close by.

"_Wait. Four?" _he thought suddenly, _"Damian said there were five… didn't he?"_

He counted again, this time looking at their right shoulders. As he expected, none of them had the same mark as their mother.

"_Damn it all. Where's the fifth one?" _He almost growled.

He looked to his right, changing his attention to Nell and her mate.

"_They seem pretty calm. They must know where she is or they would be running all over the place trying to find her." _He switched his attention toward Nelida, causing Aidan to sigh in his mind. _"She really does look happy…" _

That's when an Old wolf came up to Nelida and Diego with a cub and a pup on each side of him. Aidan could just see a small white spot on the cubs shoulder.

"_Ah, there she is."_ He thought, trying to get a better look at her from the bush. _"Gosh, she looks like a mini Diego clone." _Aidan added, looking at the resemblance.

Aidan looked at the Elder Wolf who was talking to the Sabers in front of him. By Diego and Nelida's body movements he was saying something they weren't comfortable with. Quickly he got up and slowly made his way closer to hear what they were talking about. As he got closer he could hear Elder Wolf saying,

"It would be safer for her, and it would teach her the true meaning of a spirit walker."

Finally he could see all three of the grown-ups talking. From what he saw on their faces, they thought it was a good idea.

"For how long?" Diego asked.

"Is three seasons okay with you two?" the wolf asked uncertainly.

Nelida blinked, "Three whole seasons? By the time she gets back she'll be a year old."

Elder Wolf nodded, "I understand if you would not like for her to be away for so long."

"I wouldn't mind actually Elder Wolf," Nelida answered quickly, "I would just miss her, and if it's alright with Diego then she can go."

Diego bit his lip; slowly he lowered down to talk to Maria. "Can you be a good girl for me while you stay with Elder Wolf?"

Maria nodded quickly, causing her ears to flap up and down. Diego smiled and patted her head with a paw.

"It's alright with me as long as she comes back in one piece." He replied.

Elder Wolf nodded, "Of course."

Nelida smiled and nuzzled with Maria, and then looked over at the wolf pup. "Is Avnar coming with you guys?"

The pup nodded, "I iz Spirit walker too Ma'am." He said sweetly, holding up his paw.

Aidan's eyes widened as he saw the red star on the pups paw, thinking that it couldn't possibly be coincidence that they happened to be fortune tellers and the same age. By the look on Nelida and Diego's faces, they were thinking the same.

Elder Wolf nodded, "We will be on our way--"

"Not without saying goodbye!" Said Ellie from behind them, scaring the fur off of Aidan.

The cub ran over to the mammoths that both said their goodbyes and ruffled the cub's fur. After Sid finished hugging the air out of Maria and Avnar returned from saying goodbye to his family, the little ones returned to Elder Wolf.

The wolf sighed, "Come along little ones, we have ground to cover."

As they walked off Aidan followed closely behind, staying in the shadows to avoid being caught. They walked all the way through the wolfs territory and finally came to the river. What happened next was something that Aidan would never be able to explain.

The wolf, wolf pup, and saber cub, disappeared.

* * *

_**Yeah I was running out of ideas on how to end this chapter, so it's a little longer then what I usually write. R&R Please!**_

_***Happy Christmas!***_


	9. Chapter 9

Running. Someone is running, running away from something. What are they running away from? Who is it? Where are they going? Looking down she sees paws, tiger paws. Looking behind her she sees another tiger, much bigger than her. Is it her that's running? She couldn't tell; all she knows is that a saber is running from a bigger one.

Suddenly she falls; she slipped on something, mud perhaps. She gets up quickly, but it's too late. The tiger runs ahead and stops in front of her…

* * *

Maria jumps from her vision as a paw shakes her awake. She looks up slowly to see two brilliantly blue eyes.

"Maria? What did you see?" Avnar asked quietly.

She gives him a confused look, "You didn't see it?" she whispered.

"I didn't sleep." He replied softly, "I don't sleep when the moon is full."

The saber glanced over at Elder Wolf, who was either pretending to sleep or was fully asleep. She tilted her head towards the woods and led the way. They traveled quietly with the bright full moon glistening on the beautiful white snow. They came to a large willow tree that had snow covering its branches; Maria sat first, allowing Avnar to sit beside her.

"You really shouldn't block your visions, Avnar. They are gifts after all." Maria said calmly.

Avnar looked up at the moon, "The visions are stronger at the full moon. Sometimes I wish they were just nightmares."

"A lot of visions seem to be that way don't they?" Maria whispered in reply.

"What did you see this time?" The wolf asked.

Maria shook her head, "Running. A saber was chasing another saber… and he caught him."

"Did he die?"

"I don't know." Maria said angrily. "You woke me up before the vision could go on."

Avnar whimpered quietly as an apology, making Maria chuckle softly.

"I'm pretty sure he didn't die. It seemed like when the first saber was caught he was relieved to see who it was." She said. "I think he thought it was someone who wanted to kill him… but it wasn't."

The wolf shook his fur, letting small snowflakes leave his white fur. Maria silently admired his fur for a moment before looking back over the frozen desert.

"I miss them…" she whispered.

Avnar nodded, "As do I. One more season, and we can see our parents and friends again."

Maria lay her head on the wolfs shoulder, yawning as she did so. Avnar cleared his throat in an apologetic manner.

"I shouldn't have woken you at such a late time--"

"I don't mind, Avnar. Really I don't." She whispered. "Some visions need to be interrupted…"

Maria faded off sleepily, closing her eyes as they grew heavier. Avnar blinked and looked back into the star lit sky and the bright, silver moon. Raising his muzzle slowly he sang his soft howl to the sky above. It echoed in the distance, slowly disappearing into the winter night.

* * *

"Aidan?"

The saber breathed heavily for a moment before looking back at his brother. He looked a little peeved as he sat on his haunches.

"Gosh, just run faster when I come to tell you something brother! I've been looking for you for almost all season!" Aidan replied angrily.

Damian sat in front of him, "You got something for me to tell Matchitehew?"

"Yes. The Elder wolf took Maria and some other wolf pup away--"

"Away where?"

"If you shut up I'll tell you!" He whispered, "The wolf pup is said to have the gift as well. I followed them across the river that surrounds the pack, and all three of them just vanish."

Damian backed up, "Just like that?"

"Poof practically. Gone."

"When did this happen?" he asked.

"Two whole seasons ago."

Damian nodded, "Anything else?"

Aidan thought for a moment as he looked down at his paws. He looked up and said, "Nothing of big importance."

Damian nodded, "We should head back then."

"You should. If I come back with you we might both get into trouble. I'll keep scouting around the group and you can continue east."

"It will be a five day journey if I run. About three from where we depart. Would you like to come with me?"

Aidan opened his mouth to answer before they heard a lone wolf's call in the distance. It sounded sad, yet loving and soft as it echoed around the forest. The sabers glanced at one another briefly before Aidan started again.

"As long as you wait up for me this time. You young sabers can run a lot faster than an old hag like me."

"Naw, you're in your prime right now. Plus you're not that much older than me." Damian said as he led the way.

Aidan chuckled, "Maybe one day someone will say the same to you."

Damian gave his brother a confused look, but shrugged it off as he began running off into the distance.

* * *

Ellie sighed as she stroked Mina's soft head. She looked out through the cave opening, watching the snow fall softly onto the ground. She felt Manny move beside her, knowing that he was waking up.

"Are you awake Manny?" She whispered, not looking away from the snow.

"Yeah." Manny replied softly, "What's wrong?"

Ellie sighed, "Things haven't been the same without Maria."

Manny gingerly held her trunk in his, "Yeah, I know. Nelida and Diego have changed too. Just one more season though, and everything should go back to normal."

"I sure hope so." Ellie said, glancing at the sleeping sabers.

All six of them were lined up in a row, side to side and staying connected to keep warm. The cubs, who were now about the size of their parents, slept silently; save for a twitch or a scratch of the ear now and then. Nelida, who was between Diego and her daughter Viridian, was flexing her claws and twitching slightly. Ellie glanced up at Manny.

"A vision or a dream?"

Manny shrugged, "It's hard to tell. It could be a nightmare. Diego says that she reacts more to a vision than a dream, so it might be a vision."

Ellie looked back at the snow, "She'll tell us in the morning I guess."

Mina moved a little at her parents voices, mumbling softly in her sleep. Manny smiled and rubbed Mina's head, causing her to slowly go back to sleep.

"Maybe." Manny replied as he yawned.

His yawn was cut short as a soft, gentle howl came into the cave. It echoed a little in the distance and then stopped with a loving end. Ellie smiled up a Manny.

"Don't you wish you could sing like that?"She whispered.

Manny chuckled quietly as he fell back to sleep, holding Mina and Ellie's trunk in his.

* * *

_**Alright, I decided to do a time jump. Just to review, it's now two seasons after Avnar and Maria left. I was gonna use Diego and Nelida for the last part, but I did a little Manny/Ellie part for those who love that pairing! R&R Please!!!! **_

_***Happy Christmas* **_


	10. Chapter 10

"_Poof_?!" Matchitehew asked.

Damian swallowed, nodding his head he said, "Yes sir. They just disappeared--"

"When are they coming back?" the larger tiger asked impatiently.

"In the spring, sir." Damian answered softly.

"Spring…" He said, "The cub will be a full year old, correct?"

"Yes, sir." Damian answered quickly.

Matchitehew hummed thoughtfully, pacing back and forth while thinking. He hummed once more and then sat back down in front of Damian.

"Once the cub returns we will put our plan forward."

"We, sir?" he said fearfully.

"Yes Damian." He replied, "Everyone is going to participate." But then a smile formed on his face as he looked over at Damian. "Well, everyone except for your brother."

Damian blinked, trying to act confused. "M-my brother?"

"Your dear older brother was getting too big for his shoes." He purred, "We were gonna kill him, but I guess he got away."

Damian tried hard not to look angry at the larger tiger, but it proved useless to even try. Matchitehew came closer to him, looking him in the eye.

"Now, you wouldn't know where your brother is, would you?" he whispered.

"No sir. I didn't even know he ran away." Damian fibbed.

It seemed to work as the bigger tiger scoffed and backed away from him. "Very well. You may go. Come back when the fortune teller reappears. We'll be waiting."

Damian dipped his head quickly and walked as calmly as he could. Once he was out of sight, a young female emerged behind Matchitehew. She sat down as far away as she could, for the larger saber scared the wits out of her. She had much darker fur from any other saber, for her family was from jungle areas, but her bright green eyes were that of a mountain saber.

She cleared her throat quietly. "Y-you wanted to see me… sir?"

"Ah Aiyana, perfect timing. Come closer my dear." He said quietly.

The small saber sat beside him, still keeping her distance from Matchitehew. He took a claw and scratched under her chin, causing her to shake with fear.

"You jungle cats run with amazing speed, yes?"

"Yes sir." Aiyana murmured.

The larger saber nodded, "How would you like to go on a tracking mission for me?"

"And whom would I be tracking?" she replied.

Matchitehew put his paw back on the floor, keeping his eye contact with the younger saber. "You know Aidan, correct?"

Her eyes widened, "Yes. Damian's brother."

"Well, Damian says that he didn't even know Aidan had run off. I know he's lying." He whispered to her. "Track Aidan down, and kill him."

Aiyana's eyes grew even wider.

"Oh, and kill Damian too."

"Sir?" she whispered, "I don't think I can--"

"You're the fastest one in this whole area, my dear. You can kill them both and come back in four days easily."

"They're much larger than me--"

"Attack them by surprise. Slash their throats before they even know you're there. Then take over Damian's job and wait for the fortune teller."

Aiyana looked down sadly, "Yes sir."

Matchitehew laughed silently for a moment and then nodded, "Good. On your way then, jungle cat."

The female got up quickly and ran out of the cave. She ran swiftly, and silently. When Aiyana was finally out of the territory she slowed down and sat by the side of a frozen pond.

"Why me?" she asked the ice angrily. "Out of the whole entire pack why did he choose me to kill Damian?"

Suddenly the answer seemed to pop out of the ice and hit her in the head as she stared at herself. A tear ran down her face as she said, "He chose me… because he knew that I love Damian…"

* * *

Avnar sat quietly as he watched Maria focus on a flower bud. Elder Wolf sat beside her, keeping her focused on it. After a minute of nothing Maria huffed angrily.

"I can't do it!" she puffed, causing Avnar to chuckle.

"Try again young saber." Elder Wolf said calmly. "Imagine the flower bud opening before your eyes."

Maria rolled her eyes, but did as he commanded. She looked back at the flower bud, this time relaxing and breathing steadily. All of a sudden the flower started opening, showing bright pink flower petals and yellow pollen on the inside. Maria gasped and jumped up and down.

"Yes! I did it! I can control flowers!" she said in a silly matter.

Elder Wolf nodded and then turned to Avnar. He followed Elder Wolf across the green field, stepping over the still icy grass. Maria followed them until they came to another flower bud, this one blue.

"Your turn, Avnar. Focus on the flower."

Not another second had passed before the flower showed its beautiful insides. Maria rolled her eyes as Avnar gave her the "I-can-do-it-better-than-you-can" look.

Elder Wolf nodded in approval. "Very good, Avnar." As they went into the forest he said, "We will work on controlling, not just flowers, but vines, trees, grass, all plant life. Once you have that down, we may go home."

Maria glanced at Avnar, who was thinking the same as he glanced at her. _Finally, home sweet home_.

* * *

"Wow, can you believe it?" Maria asked softly. "We're gonna go home soon."

Avnar hummed thoughtfully in reply, watching a few geese swim across the pond. Maia raised an eyebrow and sat beside him.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing." He replied.

They were quiet for a moment. Then Maria got an idea.

"I know what's wrong with you." she said playfully.

"Nothing?" Avnar said sarcastically.

"Nope." She said. "You need to play."

Avnar looked at her strangely, backing up as she got down in a crawling position. "No. No playing."

Maria shook her head as she started stalking him. He backed up until his rear was up against the willow tree.

"No. Bad kitty! Stay kitty! Stay!" he pleaded.

"Too late, pup." She teased.

Suddenly Avnar bolted, with Maria hot on his tail. He ran through the tall grass in a nearby field, running in zigzags to keep Maria away. It helped for a while until he lost sight of her. Avnar looked around, trying to see where she was in the grass. Abruptly he was attacked and pinned down by the saber herself. Avnar struggled desperately under Maria's grip.

"Okay, okay. You got me."

"Are you gonna play now?" she asked.

Avnar blushed, "Depends on if you're gonna let me up or not." He whispered.

Maria blinked. Slowly she got the picture and started turning red herself.

"And what if I don't?" She asked slowly, noticing how close their faces were.

"I don't know." Avnar answered awkwardly.

They stared at one another for a moment before Maria finally got off of Avnar, if rather clumsily. They sat away from each other, not looking at the other until Avnar cleared his throat.

"It's getting dark." He said quietly.

"Yeah." Maria answered, still not looking at him.

The wolf cleared his throat again, "I… I guess I'll take up on that offer tomorrow."

Maria smiled. "Sure. Tomorrow."

"Okay… well, good night." He said quickly.

Maria nodded, "Good night, Avnar." She replied.

The wolf stood for a second, but then decided that Maria would come after he had left. He went through the grass, running shortly after he had gotten out of it.

Maria chuckled quietly as she watched him run into the wood. She shook her head, calmly stating, "Damn that was awkward."

* * *

**_R&R! I need to know what you guys thought about that chapter! Answer honestly if there was something you didn't like about it! TTYL!_**


	11. Chapter 11

Trevor hated spiders. He really, _really_ hated spiders. It made him squeal like a piglet when a spider took him by surprise, and then he would yell "SPIDER! KILL IT! KILL IT!" The only thing he hated worse than spiders was his parents fighting. It would always start out as a "talk". They would walk away after one asked the other for a talk, and they would come back with cuts and bites. Granted, they were small marks; their parents always stopped before something really bad happened. It seems to kill Trevor and his siblings though.

After one of their fights Viridian would run off and cry, Dillon would curse under his breath, Payton would be Mr. Sunshine as usual and comfort Viridian, and Trevor would simply ignore it. It wasn't worth crying, cursing, anything really. It did get upsetting though; especially cense it was usually over Maria.

Ah, Maria. How Trevor missed his best friend Maria. How often he wished that spring would come early. The others were the same; Sid missed playing with the mini Diego, Manny and Ellie simply hoped that everything would go back to normal once she got back, Mina barely remembers her, the possum twins became scarily quiet when she left, and no one dares to bring it up in front of Nelida and Diego.

Truth was he'd rather have spiders all over him than have his parents fight. To him there was nothing to fight about, but he overheard them once…

"What's the matter with you?" his father yelled, "You never say anything! You knew we would have cubs, you knew one of them was going to see the future, and yet you wouldn't tell me a damn thing about it!"

"Why do I have to tell you everything?"

"I have a right to know! They're my cubs too!"

"Hardly! You don't even talk to them half of the time! Ever since Maria left--"

"She left because of your damn wolfs!"

"You don't _own_ me, Diego! I'm_ not_ your personal crystal ball."

That's when Trevor ran for it. He never mentioned it, and tried to forget about it. It was hard for a family to stay together when they couldn't even look at each other without blowing up. Finally someone spilled. It wasn't him, it wasn't one of his brothers, or his sister, and it wasn't Manny, Sid, Ellie… It was little Mina.

It was another cold day, another day for Sid to start a beautiful fire. It was so calm, peaceful, and quiet. That was until roars and screams could be heard through the trees. At first it was ignored, but poor Mina could hold it in no longer. Silently, with an angry look on her face that would scare the living daylights out of a wolf, she stomped into the woods and into the clearing where Diego and Nelida were fighting.

Everyone followed; making sure Mina wasn't trying to commit suicide. The tigers stopped and looked up at Mina, who was now old enough to tower over them.

"What's wrong with you?!" she yelled. "Can't you see that this fight is_ STUPID_? That you're tearing your own family apart from fighting over a small disagreement? Don't you ever see Viridian running away crying? Or how about Payton cutting himself? Dillon growing into an ass 'cause all he sees these days is you two being ass holes? Trevor having nightmares?"

Diego looked down guiltily, Nelida followed suit by looking away from the young shemmoth and tearing.

Mina took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "Look, whatever the problem is, don't take it out on each other. It's not worth fighting over."

That was it. It was done. They never fought again. Trevor thanked Mina about a thousand times, because now all he had to worry about were spiders.

* * *

The sky was dark. All there was in the sky tonight were tiny, crystal like stars, covering the darkness like a silver blanket. A shooting star ran across the sky, leaving a small trail behind it and then disappearing completely. A wolf howled in the distance, then another; a beautiful duet by two, completely in love, wolfs.

Nelida sighed, letting out a hot stream of air from her mouth. She enjoyed looking out into the sky at night, especially from the side of a cliff to see the darkened ground below. Her ear twitched as she heard snow crunch from behind her.

"_I hope she's not completely mad at me." _A sad thought said in her mind.

"I'm not." She whispered, even though she knew Diego couldn't hear her.

He came up beside her and cleared his throat awkwardly. Nelida smiled.

"No. I'm not completely mad at you." She said quietly. "Mina was right. It was a stupid fight. I'm sorry."

Diego nodded, "It was stupid. You shouldn't be apologizing, I should. I'm sorry Nell."

Nelida shook her head, "We were both acting stupid. I needed to apologize just as much as you did."

They were silent for a moment, taking in the beautiful night sky. Nelida placed her head on Diego's shoulder, sighing blissfully.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" she whispered.

"Yes you are." Diego said cheekily, receiving a chuckle from Nelida.

"You're so corny." She said, "I had a vision earlier." She admitted.

Diego nodded, "You don't have to tell me." He said quietly.

"I want to." Nelida said, "Maria's coming back in a few days. She and Avnar learned how to control fire, water, and plants."

"That's good." He said happily.

"That's not all though." She added gravely, "Someone's planning to kidnap her. Use her as bait and kill me."

Diego sighed, "You fortune tellers can't get out of trouble can you?"

"Apparently not. Fortunately I didn't see if his plan worked or not. So we might just win this." Nelida whispered.

He nodded, "Okay. We just need to make sure that Maria is watched over."

"Yeah." Nelida replied sleepily.

Diego smiled and nuzzled against the side of her head for a moment, she returned the favor and purred lightly. After a moment they separated.

"Come on. Let's head back." Nelida suggested.

Diego nodded, and together they returned to the cave. As they lay down together, Diego's head on top of Nelida's, Manny smiled thoughtfully. Thank God Mina was as smart as her mother.

* * *

_**I liked writing this chapter. Sad, angry, and romantic all in one chapter. Plus, I HATE SPIDERS! KILL IT! KILL IT!**_ _** *running away from big spider my parents called Ted.***_


	12. Chapter 12

Elder Wolf sat calmly in the middle as two vines seemed to be doing a perfect ballet, weaving in and out of each other as they grew longer and produced beautiful multicolored flowers. Maria watched them expertly, as Avnar showed off by keeping his eyes closed. Elder Wolf smiled brightly as the dance of two vines came to a close, both vines entwined around each other with a very large flower at each end, one pink and one blue. He stood up slowly and nodded. Without saying a word, he left the two, and they went the other way slowly.

"I worry for Elder Wolf," Avnar started, "He's gotten quieter since his vision that he won't tell us about."

Maria looked at him sadly, "He's dying Avnar. A blind human could see that." She almost whispered.

"That's probably what his vision was about." The wolf grunted.

"Obviously." Maria seemed to puff, "Hopefully he'll have a quick and painless death; that would be the best for an elderly wolf like himself."

Avnar nodded. After a moment he said, "I don't remember my siblings."

The saber looked at him strangely, "I don't either… why bring it up so suddenly?"

"I have been thinking, and came to the question of, how can you miss those you don't know?"

Maria paused for a moment, "I'm not sure Avnar… I'm not sure."

* * *

Aiyana ran for a whole day, immediately catching up with both scents of Damian and Aidan. She smelled Damian's sweet scent deeply, like a girlfriend would do to their boyfriend's jacket. After a moment of walking she noticed that Aidan's scent was gone, she went back and realized that they had separated in a small clearing. She hummed in thought…

"_Track Aidan down, and kill him." _his evil voice echoed in his mind _"Oh, and kill Damian too."_

Aiyana closed her eyes in frustration, _"Attack them by surprise"_ it whispered_ "Slash their throats before they even know you're there."_

Tears stung her eyes at the thought.

"_Maybe… they're against Matchitehew?" _A small voice whispered calmingly in her mind, _"Maybe you can join them? They are related to the fortune teller after all, aren't they?"_

Aiyana blinked, wondering why she didn't see it before. "They are steering Matchitehew away from the girl he calls a witch… so if that's the case then Aidan is scouting the fortune teller, and Damian is just running East to get Matchitehew confused." She whispered to herself.

She smiled brightly as she looked east; "If that's the case…" she murmured happily, "I should probably go "kill" Damian _this_ way."

* * *

Maria hummed happily as she watched Avnar grow flowers, literately. He'd poked the ground tenderly with the tip of his nose and up would come a flower. An array of daisies, daffodils, lilies, dandelions, buttercups, and roses seemed to some out of his nose. Funny thing was he didn't know Maria was watching. She lay happily in the willow tree, out of sight from the grey wolf who just grew flowers out of boredom. He puffed in his uninterested faze and lay down under the willow tree, right underneath Maria who covered her mouth with a paw to hold in her giggles.

Avnar lazily looked at a large pink rose that had grown right in front of him, blowing on it and making it sway back and forth. He looked at it for a while and then used a paw to touch the delegate petals, without even thinking about it he pulled off a petal.

"She loves me." He murmured.

He pulled off another.

"She loves me not." Avnar continued.

Maria raised an eye brow as he continued doing this. Who was he referring to as he said "she" loves me the saber wondered.

"She loves me." Avnar continued from below.

Was it her she was talking about?

"She loves me not."

He was cute and all… but a saber and a wolf?

"She loves me."

That's just crazy talk. It was completely inaccurate, and probably against nature.

"She loves me not."

Then again wasn't there someone in her old herd that was related to possums? It was one of the mammoths wasn't it?

"She loves me."

Maybe she did…

"She loves me not."

Maria always did feel different around the wolf. Her friend, her play mate, and now her lover? Was it even possible? She looked down as the wolf paused. She saw that he was staring at the last petal on the flower, caressing it between two of his toes. He plucked it off slowly.

"She loves me…" he said quietly.

He looked at the petal meaningfully, sniffing it as he got up from where he had laid. He sniffed the darkening sky, almost smiling as he found Maria's scent blowing from the tree behind him and back around to his nose.

"Maybe… just maybe." He murmured quietly, but loud enough for her to hear.

As he started disappearing into the forest Maria climbed down from the tree, and looked thoughtfully at the bare rose. She tapped it lightly with her claw, allowing it to grow blue petals back where the pink ones were removed. She looked up as she heard Avnar sending out his cry into the warmer, spring sunset. She smiled as a breeze went through the willow tree.

Looking up she whispered longingly, "She loves you…"

* * *

Sid yawned loudly, stretching his long arms in a goofy matter. He looked around, smiling to himself as he looked at his happy herd. All six sabers were lined in their row, each looking almost the same. All three mammoths sleeping together, the littlest one in the middle. The two possums, hanging from a tree branch. And Sid the Sloth, happy as a clam.

Sid sighed as he looked at the younger sabers; he remembered when they were tiny fuzz balls running around everywhere, and now they were big with big teeth and big paws… and big heads. Sid chuckled at the last thought.

He got up, scratched his head, scratched his butt, and went merrily into the forest to get the fresh berries of early spring. He hummed happily, being so happy that he just might pop of happiness. Sid plucked a blackberry off of a bush and hummed at its deliciousness. He continued with another, and another.

Suddenly he stopped at he heard something behind him, a twig snap. He looked through the trees that surrounded him, and saw nothing. He shrugged to himself, thinking it was just him. As he turned back around, however, he was thrown down by four, very heavy paws and many claws.

"Ow." He muttered, knowing it was only one of the cubs, but then he heard a beautiful giggle he had never heard before.

He looked up as far as his head would go, running into two emerald green eyes.

"Hello Uncle Sid."

* * *

**_Huh, Kinda random chapter here... just put in random stuff at random times and tada! Randomness! _**

**_Happy 2009! yay!_**


	13. Chapter 13

Aidan watched quietly as a group of sabers hunted in the woods, following them as they made their way through. Once or twice they caught something, small things though. After all they were only, what? Four, five seasons old? They were actually doing considerably well without their parents… you know, for younger sabers. He lay in a small bush as they talked to one another after catching a small hare.

"I caught that rabbit and you know it!" the smallest one said.

From what Aidan had seen she had her mother fur color, but weird dark green-blue eyes, and lightning running speed. Gosh that saber could run! He figured she was a runt or something, being noticeably smaller than her brothers, but she was a female after all. After listening carefully he learned that her name was Viridian, Vidi for short.

"Yeah, you caught it. After_ I_ bit into it and slowed it down!" Yelled the darkest male.

He was average size and height, vivid blue eyes, a little darker than his father. Dillon was his name… or so Aidan was pretty sure of. He knew this was the jerk of the litter, and the strongest by what he's seen… but definitely not the smartest.

The light colored saber rolled his eyes, "Honestly, can't you just share it or something?"

This was the smart one. Light coat like his mom, dark green eyes like his mom, body structure like his dad thankfully, and probably brains from his mom. This was the quiet one… the one that was afraid of spiders. Aidan almost blew his cover laughing at the poor kid. Trevor was his name.

"They can barely share the air they breathe." The medium color one said to Trevor.

This was the weird one, the goofy one, and probably the friendliest one. This one was darker than Trevor, but lighter than Dillon… making him about close to his father's color. This one had a darker version of his dad's eyes, but lighter than his moms, which puts him in the middle again. That was Payton.

"No! I caught this rabbit so it's mine!" Dillon yelled again.

Knowing better the female simply rolled her eyes, "Fine, whatever. I can get my own food." She mumbled.

Dillon nodded briskly and began eating. Vidi sat beside Trevor who was talking to Payton.

"I swear he is such a pig!" She whispered angrily.

Trevor glanced over at the eating saber, "Shhh. Don't want him to overhear."

Payton rolled his eyes, "Whatever, who cares if he hears that he's a pig? Someone's bound to tell him anyway."

Suddenly they turned toward Dillon as he began growling. Luckily he wasn't growling at them, he was warning a wolf that had walked into the clearing they were in. It was a weird wolf though; it was light grey, with blue eyes, and a red star-of all things-on its paw.

Aidan's eyes widened, _"If he's here then the saber should be here as well." _He thought.

The wolf looked at the saber fearfully and pulled his tail in between his legs, but stood firmly.

"Oh, no. I wouldn't take that from you." he said calmly, and then looking at the other three sabers. "I only wish to talk to the four of you."

Trevor raised an eyebrow, "Us why?"

The wolf shrugged, "I thought you would like to know that your sister is back--"

He was interrupted by a loud gasp from Viridian, "She's home?! She's back?! Maria's back!!??"

The wolf looked at her strangely, "Yes." he said cautiously, nodding.

Aidan nodded to himself as the young ones ran off. "It's about time those stupid fortune tellers got here." He mumbled.

He was about to follow them before he heard his name, whispered frantically in the distance. He looked around, at first seeing nothing, until he saw his brother hiding behind a large rock. He went over quickly and started scowling him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Aidan raised an eyebrow as a young female appeared beside Damian. He had seen her before at the cave; he never talked to her though.

"We have a problem Aidan." Damian started.

"We have had a problem for about a year now." Aidan muttered sarcastically.

Damian rolled his eyes; he tilted his head in the female's direction. "This is Aiyana."

Aidan nodded, "Okay. Nice to meet you."

"Aiyana was sent to kill us." Damian finished.

Aidan got a weird look on his face, "Yeah that is a problem…" he looked at the female sarcastically, "You're not really gonna kill us, are ya?"

Aiyana shook her head, "Never."

Aidan chuckled, "Just kidding kid, don't beat yourself up." Aiyana smiled sheepishly as Aidan continued with Damian, "So now what? We're supposed to be dead right now."

Aiyana shrugged, "He asked me to take over your place afterward. So if you just hung out here Matchitehew won't know for a while until he actually see's you or if he wants proof that you're dead."

Aidan nodded, "A smart one. She's a keeper." He hinted to Damian, causing the younger sabers to go red under their fur. "But we still have a problem." He continued.

"What now?" Damian asked tiredly.

"The fortune tellers are back." Aidan whispered, as if Matchitehew could hear them.

Damian's ears pinned to the back of his head, "Great."

"Should I tell Matchitehew? I mean he's gonna know something's up if spring passes and the fortune tellers are still "not here"."

Aidan thought for a moment. Then he looked around as a wolf howled in the background, as if the howl was giving him an idea.

"Why don't we set a trap for Matchitehew?"

"Do what now?" Damian asked, as if it was the dumbest thing on earth.

Aidan nodded, "We tell the wolfs our story. The _whole_ story and the _whole _truth; wolfs like it when others tell the truth. We ask them to help and there is a 60/40 percent chance that they'll say yes."

"So… when we're ready, I'll go tell him that she's here, they'll go after her and the wolf will attack?" Aiyana asked.

"Yes and no." Aidan said, explaining. "You'll tell them she's back; he'll send someone to get the cub; we'll let him capture Maria; we'll follow them with the wolfs and attack the whole pack together."

"Are there enough wolfs for that?" Damian asked.

Aidan rolled his eyes, "You haven't seen a _fraction_ of the pack they have. Some of them don't even know one another very well. It's about _double_ our pack."

"Wow." Aiyana said calmly.

"Yeah that's a good way to put it." Aidan replied.

"So… should we ask now?" Damian asked.

Aidan shook his head after a moment of thought, "Nah, we'll ask tomorrow. We need to figure out how we're gonna get in there and talk to them without getting killed first."

The two younger sabers nodded. Aidan sighed, "We'll have to split up. Do you know how to scout Aiyana?"

She nodded proudly.

"Good. Try not to get too close to the wolfs, or the sabers, and watch out for the possums, they like to run around a lot."

Again they nodded, "Alright, meet back here in the dead of night, try to think of ideas as you're scouting. Off you go then."

Aiyana immediately went one direction; Damian was about to go the opposite way until Aidan got his attention.

"Jungle girl, nice."

"She's not my girlfriend if that's what you think." Damian snapped.

"Hard to tell with the way you look at her." Aidan commented as he walked off.

Damian watched his brother for a moment until he had almost disappeared and then went his direction slowly.

* * *

_**I wrote a good long review so yall no what the cubs look like now. Keep reviewing and tell me if there is anything I can improve on! Thanx! **_


	14. Chapter 14

"Maria!"

The saber jumped as she was bombarded with nuzzles, trunks, and possums. She smiled awkwardly as she looked around at her family, barely recognizing any of them. She only knew that her parents were the two oldest sabers, and Uncle Sid who had run off when everyone attacked. Come on, who could forget Uncle Sid?

Maria looked up nervously as the larger mammoths came to greet her, but laughed at her silliness. They wouldn't hurt her, and the smaller mammoth was only a bit taller than Maria's own parents. She looked around, trying to find Avnar who had disappeared like he usually does.

"_He'll come back." _She thought, zoning back into her family.

"Wow, you've gotten so big!" The larger shemmoth said to her. "You were teeny tiny when you left." She added, holding her trunk a few inches above the ground to prove her point.

"_What was her name? Elizabeth or something like that?" _She thought as she nodded in agreement with the shemmoth.

"I'm_ so_ glad your back!" the only female her age said to her.

"_Oh I know her name. Vidi, I think." _Maria thought as she replied, "I know! I've missed you guys!"

"Good to have you back, sis." Said the lightest male.

"_Trevor! I've missed him!" _She almost said out loud, being so happy. "It's great to be back." She replied instead.

"Come on now, give her some air." Her father said, making the greeting circle separate. What Elder Wolf had said to her was very true; her father was like the waters reflection, except for the white mark on her shoulder which was an exact copy of the one on her mom's forehead. The mammoths, possums and Uncle Sid went back into a large cave, leaving all seven sabers in the circle.

"Uhh, we're gonna head back in the wood. Wanna come Maria?" The middle colored one said awkwardly.

Maria looked over at her parents, who just smiled at her. "Be back before dark." Her mom said.

Maria smiled back at them and ran into the wood with her siblings. Nelida sighed happily, causing Diego to look at her with a confused look.

"What?" He asked.

She sighed again. "Oh, nothing. It's good to have all five cubs back again."

Diego chuckled, "I think she forgot everyone's names." He commented.

His mate laughed and nodded, "Yeah, she had the same look that you have when you're confused about something."

Diego rolled his eyes and head back into the cave, Nelida following after him. "Scary how much she looks like you huh?" She said.

"I just hope that look doesn't attract boys the way it attracts girls." Diego said, looking suggestively at Nelida.

She just chuckled, following him into the cave where Sid was already starting a fire.

* * *

Avnar came up to the little hole that used to be his den, his siblings saw him immediately, dipping their heads as he came by or said a welcoming greeting. A shewolf that was obviously his mother came and nuzzled against his broad chest.

"Welcome home son." she said happily.

Avnar smiled, but was hiding something behind his smile. His mother looked at him thoughtfully before looking around the area.

"Where is Elder Wolf, Avnar?" She said, already knowing the answer.

Avnar swallowed, "He… he said his time had come. He brought us back and then went toward the mountains."

Avnar's mother looked at him sympathetically, "Well… he was an old wolf, and his time was soon. It's not good to hear, but we all know it when we see it."

The younger wolf nodded. His mother shook her head, as if something had crawled in her ear and smiled at her son again, "Well, it's good to have you back my son. I'm glad that Elder Wolf was able to take you and Maria. Where is the saber, anyway?"

"She's with her family." Avnar said idly.

"Huh," She replied, "Well you are welcomed to anywhere in the pack, as is your friend. I will tell our leader the news of Elder Wolf, and your return."

Without another word the shewolf turned and went to the center of the pack territory where the leader and his family stayed. She went at a leisurely pace until she smelled saber in the territory, and not the sabers that were welcomed here. She went at a slightly quicker pace and then came to the clearing where the leaders den was located.

In front of the den entrance was the Alpha Male and Female, along with three sabers bowed in respect to the leaders. They had a large deer carcass between the two, with its blood on the sabers' paws. The leaders looked up at her abruptly as she sat respectfully behind the sabers.

"Ah, Tatiana." The Alpha Male said. "Come and sit with us, the sabers want to discus something with us."

She quickly went pass the sabers, who sat on their haunches as she went by. As Tatiana sat beside the Alpha Female the male looked at the largest saber, who seemed to be leading the trio.

"Now, what business does a group of sabers have with our pack?" He asked him.

The saber cleared his throat. "We were sent to spy on the… Spirit Walker that you have been protecting for the past year." He started.

The two younger sabers behind him exchanged nervous glances as the Alpha Male gave the sabers a glare.

"However." The saber continued, "Me and my younger brother are related to the Spirit Walker, and our friend here was sent to kill us after we began to revolt."

"Oh?"Alpha Male said, getting amused with the story.

"As strange as it might sound, I am telling you nothing but the truth. The truth is we do not want to take our leaders orders anymore. We came to warn you of what is to come."

"And what is to come my good saber?" the Alpha Female asked with interest.

"Our leader has been planning to kidnap Nelida's cub, the one with the gift, and use her as bait and kill both of them." The saber said as calmly as he could.

Tatiana glanced at her leaders nervously, wondering what they were thinking at the moment. The Alpha Male took a step forward, causing the younger sabers to take a step back.

"No harm shall come to the Spirit Walkers, ever." He said to the saber.

The tiger seemed surprisingly calm, "No, we hope nothing happens to Nelida or her family. We have a plan to get rid of our leader, and if necessary our pack, for we are only a fraction of your pack."

The wolf sat back down, "A plan?"

"Yes." the saber said, nodding. "When Aiyana gives the word to our leader, he will send two or three sabers to do the dirty work for him. We were thinking of letting them capture Maria and having part of your pack following them, while me and Damian will lead another group around the cave and attack from behind and the sides."

There was a pause as the Alpha Male looked to his mate and then to Tatiana who was still here for a reason that didn't include the sabers. He looked back at the saber thoughtfully.

"You are a wise saber. We will help you protect the Spirit Walkers and rid yourselves of your leader. What is your name, saber?"

"Aidan." He said, almost hesitating.

The wolf looked at him with curious eyes, "Interesting." He murmured.

He looked at the deer and then gave a sharp bark. Immediately three young wolfs came from the den behind the females. He gestured his head toward the deer.

"Take that to Gabby, Rebecca, and Destiny. They will be pleased to feed their unborn pups and themselves with this generous offer." He said to them.

They glanced at the sabers as they began carrying the deer into the wood. The Alpha Male looked back at Tatiana.

"So, what is your reasoning for coming my dear?" he asked her.

"A report. Maria and Avnar have returned." She said.

"Oh good. Anything else?"

Tatiana hesitated for a moment, and then sighed as she let her sadness show slightly. "Elder Wolf has passed, sir."

The leader looked lost for a moment, and then glanced at his mate who whimpered slightly. He looked to the sky, which was turning bright purple as the sun was setting.

"Let the gods take him with open arms then." He whispered. He looked back at the sabers who were waiting for an order.

"I suppose you can go and stay with the other sabers for the time being. Tatiana, will you please go with them so others won't attack?"

The female nodded, and walked ahead as the sabers followed behind. The four paused as they heard the Alpha Male and Females cry to the heavens. Tatiana raised her muzzle as the pack answered their call, and sent out her cry as well. As the sound died down she looked over at the sabers who were waiting for her to finish her song.

"Sorry we couldn't join." Damian said. "We'd just sound like drunk whales."

Tatiana chuckled, "I don't know why, but sabers always seem to find the right thing to say to break the silence."

She continued on as Aiyana came to walk beside Damian, "Did she mean that in a good way or a bad way?" she whispered to him.

He shrugged, "At least I got her to laugh."

Aidan glanced back at his brother, "She probably laughed when she imagined you howling like a drunken whale."

* * *

**_Chapter 14... wow I didn't think it would get this long! I'm guessing at least 5 more chapters! Yay! R&R Please!!!!_**

_**Spoilers for Ice Age 3! Don't continue reading unless you really want to! P.S. this is my opinion!**_

**_**********************************************************************************************************************************_**

**_The third movie looks cheesy. I mean dinosaurs? Really? they died B4 the Ice Age, not after! And, a 1 eyed dino hunting weasel? R they running out of idea or something? Ellie getting pregnant and stuff, is like a fangirls dream come true. xP Gag me with a spoon! No offence, i like the pairing but i can't see Ellie being pregnant on the big screen. They don't even have a girl 4 Diego! Gosh, like almost every fanfic has DiegoXOC and yet the directors wont do that! it's like Sabers don't even exist to them. there were no other sabers in the 2nd movie. Who knows, maybe it'll be better than i expect. But i have recently been thoroughly comparing the 2 movies, the 2nd has better graphics, mostly cause the tech was better in 2006 than 2002, but the 1st had a better story to it.  
R&R if you read this, what do you think?_**


	15. Chapter 15

Maria cautiously sat down with her siblings, who had joined the large circle around the tiny bonfire. No one really seemed to act different as she joined them, almost as if she had never left. She listened to everyone's conversations, just enjoying being in their company again and hearing their voices for the first time in a very long time. The sky was still bright as she heard someone approaching the cave entrance. Turning she saw Avnar, who looked like he wasn't sure if he was allowed in.

"Come on in Avnar!" Maria called to him, moving over for him to sit down next to her.

Avnar smiled and jumped into the circle with the herd. Ellie looked at the wolf pup with interest.

"Well hi there!" She exclaimed, ushering all attention to the wolf who had entered the circle.

"Hello Avnar." Nelida said, "What brings you here?"

The wolf shrugged, "Just passing through to say hi." He answered awkwardly.

Maria smiled, "So you're gonna head back with your family soon I suppose?"

"I never said that." Avnar replied, briefly glancing at Diego.

"Ah he won't eat you." Maria whispered, catching his glance.

"He will if you hit on my sister though." Trevor said idly from Maria's other side.

"Oh mind your own business." Maria replied. She tilted her head in her brother's direction, "This is Trevor. You guys have met haven't you?"

Avnar nodded, "Briefly."

Trevor looked at the wolf questionably, "Maria said you guys could control stuff… like water or something."

"I guess you could say that." Avnar said.

Trevor glanced at the fire, "Can't you control fire?"

They both nodded.

"Oh cool. Can you like, do a quick trick or something?" He continued excitedly.

Maria looked over at Avnar, "It can't hurt I guess." She said. "What do you think?"

The wolf shrugged, "Why not?"

Maria smiled, "Do the dancing flower thing." She said to him expectantly.

Avnar rolled his eyes, but looked over at the small fire in the middle. He watched it for a second as it moved with the light breeze, and then it became still as if it was waiting for commands. After a moment of its stillness it made the shape of a small sprout, causing everyone to look at the fire in awe. The sprout grew into a large stem, and then produced closed petals at the end. As the fire petals began to open small leafs formed on the stem, resembling arms and legs. When the white colored fire petals opened the flower itself began to dance. It moved gracefully along the burning twigs, doing a beautiful ballet. Suddenly it froze as it did a curtsy, and then the fire expanded making the flower disappear within the flames.

"Wow that was amazing!" Sid exclaimed from his sudden silence.

"I agree." Said a voice that wasn't in the circle.

The whole circle turned to see Avnar's mother, who had three sabers behind her. One in particular was the most recognizable.

"Damian?" Nelida asked as she saw him.

Beside her Diego growled a light warning, causing Damian to step back behind his older brother. Tatiana cleared her throat.

"Avnar, try not to use your new abilities for entertainment only. Those are for self defense." She said to her son.

Avnar dipped his head, "Yes ma'am." He murmured.

The shewolf looked over at the others, "These three are on our side. They came to warn us of an opposing pack. Would it be alright if they stayed here for the time being?"

Nelida and Diego exchanged a glance. Before Diego could argue over anything Nelida nodded.

"Yes. They're welcomed to stay. Thank-you Tatiana." She said quietly.

The shewolf nodded briskly and went off, leaving the three sabers with the herd. There was an awkward silent moment until Nelida went to talk to the three with Diego following. Everyone else separated into different conversations. Maria looked at Avnar guiltily.

"Sorry I got you in trouble." She said.

Avnar shook his head, "Don't even worry about it." He said, glancing behind him at the five talking sabers.

* * *

"Damian? What are you doing here?" Nelida started.

Diego came up beside her, as if taking his place as official body guard. Aidan cast a quick glance at Diego, who seemed much more intimidating up close. Damian cleared his throat awkwardly.

"We… well in a way we came to fess up."

"We already knew you were spying on us." Diego said coolly.

Aidan growled softly and took a step in front of his younger brother, "Yes, it is obvious. But we weren't talking about that."

"And you are?" Diego retorted.

"My _older brother_." Nelida snapped at Diego, making him take a step back. "Aidan, you remember Diego from baby-sitting…"

Aidan sat on his haunches, "How can I forget?" he replied, mocking Diego's cool tone.

Diego growled softly, but sat quietly on his haunches beside Nelida. Damian and Aidan glanced at each other, obviously arguing who was going to tell them why they were there. Aiyana huffed.

"Honestly. Males can't just spit out anything without arguing over something." She murmured quietly. She also sat down, but more erect than the males. "Damian was sent to spy on you by our leader. Before he was caught he told our leader that you were expecting, and after he was caught he reported that one of your cubs had the gift." She started.

"So he planned to steal her and use her as bait to kill me?" Nelida interrupted.

Aiyana blinked, "You truly are psychic." Diego rolled his eyes at the comment. "Right. But Damian did not want to follow his orders, and told our leader that you went east when really you went west. Aidan has been the current spy while Damian went east. After they reported however our leader found out that Damian and Aidan had been working together, and sent me to kill them both and spy on you."

Diego had a blank stare on his face while Nelida nodded, knowing exactly what she had said. Diego raised an eye ridge, "So… you two are supposed to be dead and you're supposed to be spying on us?"

Aiyana nodded, Diego still gave her an unsure look. "How do we know you are telling the truth?"

"Why would we lie about this?" Aidan asked angrily.

Diego rolled his eyes, "That sloth over there could make up a better story."

Aidan growled with Damian growling behind him. Aiyana and Nelida only sighed and then got between the three.

As Aiyana started arguing with her two males Nelida talked to her mate.

"I believe them Diego." She told him roughly.

"You can't be serious." He replied angrily.

Nelida bared her sabers, "Have you forgotten that_ I'm _the one who can read minds?" She said as quietly as she could.

Diego gave her a hurt glance, and then it quickly turned into an apologetic one. Nelida's face softened.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"I know. I can read you like a book."

Diego rolled his eyes at the comment and then sat back on his haunches. He didn't look at the two males this time, only to the female as he gave her a questioning look.

"Alright, I believe your story. But you haven't even told us who your leader is."

Aiyana glanced at the males, wondering if she should tell him or not. Hoping he wouldn't notice the name she told him.

"His name is Matchitehew." She said, trying to make the name unnoticeable. It wasn't Diego who responded first though.

"Where have I heard that name before?" Nelida pondered out loud. She looked at Diego, as if he had the answer. Damian and Aiyana exchanged glances before Aidan spoke up.

"I-I believe he is one of Diego's cousins." He said.

Diego suddenly had anger flaming in his eyes, "Oh yeah." He growled. "Cousin Match."

Aiyana's ears went down suddenly; if he acted like this from just the sound of his name, what would he think if their plan included letting "Cousin Match" get his daughter? The trio exchanged nervous glances.

"What is it Diego?" Nelida asked him.

Diego looked at the three again, into the cave where the circle was happily chatting and then to his mate. He whispered so only the four surrounding him could hear, "Matchitehew killed my parents."

* * *

_***GASP!* Oh no he didn't! This calls for one thing… REVENGE! I'm actually surprised myself at my evilness! Muahaha! R&R at my evilness please! And if you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them… or read them actually, hehe. *crickets chirping* gosh, tough crowd… then again if you laugh I can't hear you anyway… okay shutting up now. ;P **_


	16. Chapter 16

After a moment of talk, the sabers returned to the cave. The newcomers went to the back of the cave, creating their own triangle as they lay down and began talking to one another. They looked pretty frazzled from the meeting they had returned from. Nelida and Diego looked no different as they reentered the group. Immediately Diego started conversing with Manny and Sid, and Ellie with Nelida, filling in the information to the adults. Avnarshrugged as Maria gave him a questioning look.

"Probably nothing to worry about." Trevor said to them.

"Yeah. Dad didn't kill them yet so they're in the clear for now." Dillon added beside his brother.

Payton came and sat in front of Trevor and Dillon, "Dude, do you see that foxy jungle chick?"

Viridian puffed from the other side of Avnar, "She's obviously too good for any of you."

"Plus it looks like she's already taken." Trevor added.

"Ah man! She is fine!" Payton whined.

Avnar raised an eye ridge as he looked over at the "jungle chick".

"Damn she has hot legs…" Dillon said, following Avnar's glance.

"She's a runner most likely." Trevor commented.

"I can tell." Payton growled seductively, "She's been running through my mind this whole time."

Maria rolled her eyes as she looked over at Avnar. He had a disgusted look on his face, probably wondering what they saw in someone they didn't even know. He gave the two female tigers beside him a weird look.

"Do female sabers act this way around, er… "cute" guys?" he asked awkwardly.

Viridian giggled, "Some of them. Not all of them, but all males their age act like… well that." She raised a paw at her brothers who were still staring at the new female, making remarks on her body. Payton was even drooling a bit as he stared at her.

"Give her a break! You don't even know her name!" Viridian said angrily.

"Her names Sexy Jungle Girl, duh." Dillon murmured in a trance.

Avnar raised an eye ridge at Maria. "You don't act like that, do you?"

"I don't think so…" She said uncertainly.

The wolf was about to reply when a howl was heard outside. His ears pricked up as he listened to it carefully. Maria's brothers and sister watched him curiously. The howl stopped as Avnar's ears flopped sadly.

"That was my mother. She's asking me to come back to the den." He said, mostly to Maria.

She nodded, "Okay." She got up as he did, "So… see you tomorrow I guess?"

"Most likely." Avnar said, nodding. "Good night." He said as he left.

"Good night." The circle answered him.

Maria lay back down after Avnar was out of sight. No one noticed the saddened face she held for a moment… no one except for two possums. No one saw the two possums leaving the cave either.

* * *

Avnar went quietly, taking his time as he left for his den. It was perfectly still for awhile until he heard something bounding after him, like a rabbit jumping behind him. He turned, but he saw nothing in the dark. He watched the ground for a moment, and then turned back after seeing nothing. As he turned however he bumped into something soft that was dangling from a low tree branch.

"Hey watch it!" he heard from the dangling thing.

Avnar backed up a bit, and saw two possums. He sighed; half in relief, half in frustration.

"Oh. Your Maria's possum friends." He muttered.

"Yep. I'm Crash."

"And I'm Eddie."

Avnar looked at the two for a second and then shrugged as he tried to get around them. They dropped to the ground in front of him.

"Whoa hold your mammoths, Scruffy. We wanna talk with you." Crash said, making Avnar pause.

He looked down at them, "And why would you need to talk to me right this moment?"

"Cause we need you in private." Eddie explained.

"Top secret." Crash added.

Avnar sat down, "Quickly please."

"It's about the one you love." Eddie started, secretive like.

"My mother?" the wolf asked.

Crash hit Eddie on the back of his head, "No." he said angrily. "Maria."

The wolf's face became hot, but it was unnoticeable in the dark. He gave the possums a weird look.

"Maria? I don't like her like that. She's my friend."

"That's how it always starts." Crash said, looking at his fingernails.

Eddie nodded, "Yep. First it's a friendship, then a close relationship, and then partnership."

"But Maria's a saber. I'm a wolf. It wouldn't work."

"Denial." The possums said in unison.

Avnar shook his head, "I'm just her friend. She's just my friend. We're _just friends_!"

The possum brothers gave each other a knowing look.

"Look just admit it and we'll leave you alone." Eddie said, "We won't tell anyone!"

"But I have nothing to admit." Avnar retorted.

Crash laughed, "Please! It's _so_ easy to see that you two have a thing going on!"

"And if you don't do what the thing wants you to," Eddie added, "it'll eat at you until you are an emotional wreck. Trust us, we've seen it happen."

"_Twice_." Crash added.

Avnar looked a bit desperate to get out of the conversation. He looked around guiltily, thinking of what to say.

"S-so what if I do-did like her? It's not like she would ever like me back."

Crash waved a tiny finger in front of his nose, "That's where you are wrong Scruffy."

"Stop calling me that." Avnar interrupted.

"You see Spotty, we have seen the signs."

"We see all of the signs!" Eddie added.

"We know when a saber has the hots for someone." Crash continued, "We saw it all from Maria's parents, and from what we've seen Maria acts like her mom, and her dad."

"Which is a deadly and scary combination." Eddie commented.

"She laughs at every little funny thing you do."

"Every. Little. Thing." Eddie added dramatically.

"She agrees with everything you say."

"Just like her father." Eddie said, rolling his eyes.

"And the biggest tell-tale sign of all time!" Crash pointed at his brother to do the honors.

Eddie cleared his throat, and whispered, "She cleans _herself_ in front of you... if you catch my drift."

Avnar looked really interested now. He looked quickly behind him and then back at the possums.

"Okay. Let's say I do like her… a little more than just a friend."

The possums produced a fake gasp, "I knew it." Crash said sarcastically.

"Why would you want to know?" Avnar continued.

"Well Spotty, we happen to know how to attract the mystery that is female."

"Especially the saber kind." Crash added, "We learn from watching, taking notes, and listening to Vidi and Mina's private girl talks."

"Really?" Avnar asked sarcastically, giving them a doubtful look.

They nodded, "And we can help you with getting the girl--"

"And getting _Daddy's_ approval." Crash said, finishing Eddie's sentence.

Avnar shook his head, "You guys are gonna get me killed. Either by Maria's paws or Diego's."

"Aww we wouldn't get you killed!" Eddie assured.

"Not purposely at least." Crash murmured under his breath.

"You can trust us. We know exactly how you can reach Maria, and Diego's, heart." Eddie continued.

Avnar thought about it for a moment. "Alright. But I'll blame you guys if I cross some line that female sabers have."

"Understood." The possums said in unison.

Avnar dipped his head quickly and ran off toward his den again. As he went Crash and Eddie exchanged evil grins.

"High five my brother!" Eddie exclaimed.

They clasped their hands, laughing as they headed back to the cave.

* * *

_**Yay, Possum Brother moment! Wait, uh oh. What are they going to do? Something devilishly clever no doubt… R&R please!**_


	17. Chapter 17

Diego paced back and forth in the cave, the herd and the new sabers watching him as he made a ditch in the dirt. Nelida sighed slightly, knowing he would do this for hours on end. The kids' playful laughter was the only noise as everyone pondered on what to say. Aiyana cleared her throat, causing everyone to look over at her. Damian and Aidan gave her a warning glance, which she ignored.

"If you don't mind, we would like to tell you our plan. It's very likely that we'll win this." She said quietly.

Diego stopped pacing, "Well, go on." He said.

Aidan swallowed, "Our plan is to attack our entire pack with the Spirit Chasers on our side. The wolf pack is most likely double the size of our pack."

"Aww, that'll be a piece of cake then, right?" Sid said.

Damian gave him a doubtful look. "Perhaps. We just got to do this in a very precise order."

"Why do I have the feeling that ya'll are keeping something from us?" Ellie asked suspiciously.

Damian bit his lip. Aiyana glanced at Aidan who seemed to be the only one who would say what was on all of their minds. He glanced at Diego, but decided he'd rather not say it directly to his face. Instead he looked to the cave wall.

"W-we… our plan, before we came here, was to let one of Matchitehew's trackers take Maria to lead a group of wolfs to the territory." He said calmly.

Aidan waited for a moment and then looked over at Nelida and Diego who were giving him death glares. Diego thrashed his head around wildly.

"_Absolutely not_!" he exclaimed.

"You seriously thought we would agree to _that_?!" Nelida added, snarling.

Aidan backed up a bit, surprisingly ending up being saved by the mammoth.

"Hey guys, it may seem like the worst idea in the world, but I think it might actually work." Manny said.

Diego turned to him, "Of course you think that! This isn't your daughter we're talking about!"

Sid put his hands up to his mouth, gasping at what Diego had said to Manny. Manny ignored the comment; "Would it work without Maria?" he asked the three sabers.

Aidan shrugged. "I think it would. The plan was for a small group to follow whoever had to capture Maria, and have me and Damian lead a group to the sides and back of the territory."

Aiyana shook her head, "It wouldn't work as well. Capturing Maria would make a good distraction, that way no one would notice Damian and Aidan's groups in the woods. I highly advice that we use the original plan."

Nelida gave Aiyana a horrible look that chilled Diego to the bone. "Ever had cubs, Aiyana?"

She blinked, backing up a little. "No I haven't."

"I can tell." Nelida continued. "'Cause if you were ever a mother you would know that you wouldn't simply put your cub in danger."

Aiyana tried to say something, but Nelida cut her off. "I love my cubs more than I have ever loved anything my entire life. Yet here you are, telling me to give one of my cubs to some monster that killed my mate's parents."

Aiyana backed up more, almost hiding behind Damian in fear. Ellie finally broke it up, pulling Nelida back gently with her trunk. Aiyana shed a small tear that went down her check unnoticeably.

"I swear." Aiyana whispered to her, "If anything were to happen to Maria during this epidemic," she paused glancing at Damian. "I-I would let you take my own life."

It was silent for a moment, until Nelida's next sentence simply made everyone's stomach hurt from the utter hostility in her voice.

"That's hardly worth the trade." She whispered.

Aiyana gave her a hurt look, holding back tears that stung her eyes. Without saying a word she left the cave, her head hung down in shame and sorrow. Damian was about to go after her, but Aidan stopped him with a raised paw and shook his head.

"Let her cool off some." He whispered to him. "All the anger that you hold in you eventually explodes in your face from even the smallest thing. We will talk to her later…"

* * *

"I'm supposed to do what now?" Avnar asked.

He and the possum brothers hid behind a large rock as Maria was lying peacefully in the grass under a large oak tree.

"Complement her butt." Crash said idly.

The wolf shook his head, "No, no, no, no, and no! I'll get torn to pieces!"

"No, you won't." Eddie assured.

"Well what am I supposed to do? Just go up and say 'your butt is pretty'?!"

Crash hummed in thought, "Hmm, good point."

Eddie snapped his fingers, "Well then complement her fur!"

"Her fur?" Avnar asked doubtfully.

"Yeah." Eddie continued. "I mean ya gotta like her fur. It's a really pretty color, right?"

"Smooth texture." Crash added.

"Complements her green eyes." Eddie continued, "We're giving you gold here!"

"Speaking of gold," Crash added, "Her fur kinda looks like gold under the shade of the tree huh?"

"Well what are you waiting for?!" Eddie said pushing him out from the shadows of the rock. "Go get 'er tiger… err, wolf!"

Avnar awkwardly stumbled out from the cover of the rock, and then straightened up immediately when Maria looked over. She gave him a weird look and smiled.

"Hey Avnar." She called.

Avnar gulped and tried to calm himself as he went to sit beside her. Crash and Eddie swiftly went into the oak tree to hear the action overhead.

"Morning Maria." He said uncomfortably. He cleared his throat.

"Are you okay? You seem jumpy."

"Oh no I'm fine. Just… something about today has made me a bit jumpy."

Maria raised an eyebrow, and then looked away. Avnar looked at Maria's fur, suddenly forgetting what Crash and Eddie had said to him. His heart beat wildly as he tried to remember. Seeing this Eddie dangled from a low branch beside his ear.

"Psssst. Tell her that her fur looks pretty today." He whispered franticly.

Avnar looked around wildly as the possum snapped back into the branches. When he looked up at the two in tree they gave him a thumbs up. The wolf took a deep breath and thought quickly.

"Wow." He said in fake amazement.

Maria looked around to him, "What?"

"Oh nothing. It's just your fur." He continued.

She glanced at her fur quickly and then gave Avnar a questioning look, "What about it?"

"It just looks very beautiful today."

Avnar almost sighed in relief as she blushed and looked away in embarrassment.

"Really? It's not any different than what it usually looks like." She said.

"You think? It might be the way the shade of the tree makes your fur look like gold." The wolf continued.

Maria giggled, "Aww, really?"

"Yes. Your fur complements your eyes very nicely as well."

"Aww stop. You're making me blush." She said between giggles.

"I can't help it. Compared to my fur, yours is like velvet."

In the tree Crash snapped his fingers, "Man why didn't I think of that?!"

"Oh I wouldn't say that." Maria said, "Your fur is really pretty in the winter. It gives you a really powerful look."

"Really?" Avnar asked; interested in what she had to say.

"Oh yeah. And your eyes are really stunning too."

"S-stunning?"

Maria nodded, "They're a really deep, and hansom color."

Avnar's whole face turned bright red. Maria smiled and laughed lightly.

"Now you're the one blushing." She complemented.

Avnar was about to say something before someone called a little ways away. "Hey Maria! Wanna rustle up some breakfast?" called Payton.

Maria looked over to see her brothers and sister not too far away in the woods. Maria looked over at Avnar who got the picture.

"They're your family. Don't mind me, you've been talking to me for three seasons." He said.

Maria smiled and looked back at her siblings, "Yeah! Go on ahead and I'll catch up!" she called after them.

Without a second thought they continued through the woods as Maria turned back to Avnar.

"I'll see you later then I guess." She said.

"Yeah." He replied casually.

Almost within the blink of an eye Maria glanced around and quickly licked Avnar's cheek before running off into the woods after her family. Avnar stared after her, his jaw gapped open from the suddenness of it all. Crash and Eddie jumped in front of him.

"Dude! It worked!" Crash exclaimed. "All you did was talk about her fur and she _kissed _you!"

Eddie snapped his fingers in front of Avnar's eyes, trying to get his attention. Finally he got the wolf's attention.

"Now, if you keep doing what we say you'll have her drooling all over you." Eddie said professionally.

"And don't worry pup." Crash added. "Tomorrow we'll have a brand new plan, especially for you."

* * *

**_Think this was a good chapter? I personally thought it was a little weak. R&R Please!!!!_**


	18. Chapter 18

"That was pretty harsh, Nell." Diego said as the two walked under the moonlit deer path.

She rolled her eyes, "You on their side now?"

"I didn't say that. She was willing to kill herself if something were to happen to Maria and you said that wasn't good enough."

Nelida sadly looked down at her paws, "Perhaps you're right." She said, "I wasn't thinking straight I guess."

"Oh no you were thinking perfectly." Diego muttered, "Mother's instinct I guess; of course I wouldn't know about that."

"There's always Father's instinct." She chuckled.

He chuckled lightly with her, but stopped suddenly. "I think you owe her an apology." Nelida gave him a glare, "You don't have to agree with their plan, but I think you hurt her pretty badly."

The female sighed, "You're probably right, I should apologize. After all, she is on our side."

Diego nodded, he suddenly had a very serious look on his face. "After thinking about it… I think that might be a good idea after all."

"Diego?" She stepped in front of him, making them stop. "Maria… she's just barely a year old." Tears started to burn her face, "She's just a baby."

"She _is_ a year old, Nell; a _full_ year. One day she'll leave to be in her own pack anyhow." He gave her an assuring look, "I think she can do this. No. I know she can do this."

Nelida looked in his eyes for a moment, reading his thoughts. She looked down in defeat. "If she's as stubborn and as crazy as you," she looked up at him, "then I'm willing to believe that she can do this."

"Plus she has your gift." Diego added, going around her.

"Seeing the future isn't all that's it's cracked up to be." Nelida said following him.

"I wasn't talking about _that_ gift." He said, turning to look at her. "I meant the gift of annoyance."

Nelida growled playfully and went after him as he bolted into the trees. They laughed as they played like children, reliving the old days.

* * *

Aiyana looked up as she heard a twig snap, and a familiar smell wafted into her senses. Damian gave her an innocent, questioning look; Aiyana looked away. He sighed and went up to where she was sitting; under a small willow tree that seemed to show the sabers mood, sad and broken. He stopped in front of her.

"I'm gonna regret asking this, but, are you okay?"

Aiyana glared at him and then looked away again. Damian sighed and sat beside her.

"The moon's really pretty tonight."

Aiyana didn't reply.

"My mom said on nights like this the moon looks like a saber's tooth."

She still didn't reply.

"I personally think it looks like a banana."

"Damian! Will you _shut-up_! Whatever you are trying to do is _not_ helping!"

Damian jumped up and retreated slightly. Aiyana started crying again, trying really hard not to. Damian sat beside her again. After a moment of her sobbing Damian put a paw over one of Aiyana's.

"You know she really didn't mean that, don't you?"

She shook her head, "She meant it. I saw the look in her eyes."

Damian shushed her for a while, stroking her front leg with his paw. She looked up at him.

"I feel horrible, Damian. I'm practically asking them to kill their cub. I'm no better than Matchitehew."

"No." He said. "You're a thousand times better than him. You're trying to help Nelida; he's trying to kill her."

Aiyana continued to shake her head, "I still feel bad. I didn't think about how the cub's parents would feel at all. All I cared about was getting back at Matchitehew for--"

She stopped suddenly, looking away from Damian in a mad attempt for the subject to be washed away. He looked at her curiously.

"Aiyana?" she shook her head again. "What did he do to you?"

"…Not to me." She muttered sadly. She looked back at him, "You must never repeat this."

"Never." Damian answered.

She was quiet for a moment, watching the wind blow the willow tree side to side. She sighed.

"Diego's parents aren't the only ones that have suffered because of Matchitehew."

Damian gave her a confused look, she sighed again. "He tried to rape my mom. She wouldn't let him and he killed her instead. I'm the only one who knows. My dad and my older sister are still in the cave, as far as they know, mom left for a mission… and didn't return."

Aiyana looked up as she heard Damian's growl. She gave him a worried look.

"Promise me you won't try to face him because of what he's done. He'll kill you like he's killed so many others."

Damian calmed a little, but groaned in aggravation. "You didn't tell anyone?" he asked sadly.

"Too afraid to." She answered quietly. She started tearing again. "What are we gonna do? Our first plan was probably our only plan. Diego and Nelida will probably run us off for thinking that we could… _use_ their cubs."

Damian didn't answer. He looked ahead, wondering the same question himself. Aiyana suddenly nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck, his fur getting wet from her soaking face. He looked down at her, blushing madly. She sighed sadly.

"I don't know what to do." Aiyana whispered.

Damian, not exactly knowing what to do in this dilemma, licked the top of her head between her ears. She didn't pull back like he had expected, but hummed in satisfactory. They sat there for a while, before finally deciding to head back where, Aiyana was sure, she would be ripped to shreds.

* * *

Nelida met the two as they came to the cave. Aiyana stayed really close to Damian as she came up, but calmed down at her non-threatening expression. Nelida sighed when she saw Aiyana's tear stained face.

"Aiyana… I wasn't completely fair with you. I completely overreacted when I said… yeah. I- I'm sorry. And if you'd give not only me, but Diego a second chance… we will work out your plan to where we're all happy."

* * *

**_How was that chapter? Be completely honest in reviews! I luv good feedback and tips! Any suggestions will also be taken in with open arms. R&R! Please and thank-u! _**


	19. Chapter 19

Two young males escorted Aiyana down the cave hall that lead to the great chamber. Upon entering the cave Matchitehew grinned suggestively.

"Ah Aiyana, you must have good news." He growled.

"Yes," she said, sitting on her haunches and keeping her mission face on. "The witch's daughter has returned at last."

"Wonderful my dear. And Damian--"

"Is dead sir." She said with a pleasured tone, "Along with his brother."

"Beautiful… much like yourself." The great saber said getting up. "Montrey!"

"Yes Sir!?" one of the sabers at the entrance said.

"You and Travis get me the fortune telling cub. Don't kill her, but it will be easier if you knock her out and drag her here."

"Understood Sir!"

With that the two sabers left immediately. Aiyana tried to keep a straight face at the thought of them dragging Maria here, but she wasn't going to get killed and everyone understood that she was bound to be hurt. Matchitehew smiled at her with a devious look on his face.

"Now run along dear. Rest before the fortuneteller comes. You will help us kill the witches, including my stupid cousin."

"Yes sir." She said quietly, leaving the cave.

As soon as she was out of sight she quickly ran through a few smaller halls and slowed at a specific chamber. It was smaller than the great chamber but there was enough room for six adult sabers to sleep in. She sighed in relief when she saw two sabers in the chamber. One was her father, who was a full blooded tawny mountain saber; the other her older sister who was a jungle saber. Her sister was similar to her, but smaller in comparison and had dark brown spots on her deep red coat.

"Aiyana. You're back from your scout mission?" the large tawny saber asked.

She nodded and sat beside him. "Yeah. But there was a change of plans. I don't have much time to tell you guys--"

"Slow down Aiyana." The dark red saber said, "What's the rush?"

Aiyana took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. "Look. I met the person Matchitehew is trying to get. Damian, Aiden, and I have made a plan to take him down."

"Aiyana?" Her father asked in a hushed tone. "Clam down dear, what are you talking about?"

"Listen." She replied in a whisper, "There is a wolf pack coming. They're going to attack the pack; I don't want you two to get into the mess."

"What?" Her sister asked. "Aiyana if yall do this then where are we going to go? Ever think about that?"

For a moment Aiyana was stumped, but she shook her head. "We'll figure something out. But I can't stop the plan now, it's too late."

Her father sighed in frustration, "Aiyana, if this is about you thinking Matchitehew killed your mother--"

"Matchitehew has killed more people than you know, and he's about to kill five cubs and their parents." Her father's face became full of worry, "Don't you think he deserves this?!"

"Mark?" Aiyana's sister asked, "You're not actually thinking about—we can't leave. We have nowhere else to go!"

"We can go with Damian and Aiden." Aiyana spoke up. "They don't exactly have anywhere else to go either, but they're doing this anyway so _he_ doesn't kill their sister."

"Their_ sister_?" her sister asked. "No wonder they're trying to commit suicide! Attacking Matchitehew is so incredibly stupid!"

"Dannie." Mark said strictly. "Stop arguing with your sister--"

"_Half_ sister." Dannie interrupted.

Mark shook his head angrily, grunting in annoyance. Everything was still for a while and then Mark sighed. "Aiyana. I hope you and your… friends know what you're doing." He looked up at her. "Where do you want us to go?"

* * *

Her head was throbbing horribly as her recent memories came back to her. Colors blurred against each other and confused her. Her surroundings were much different than what they used to be. She was in a cave no doubt; moon light shined down on her through a hole in the ceiling. As she gained her vision she saw two sabers by an entrance. They watched her intently, occasionally whispering and chuckling to one another. She finally got herself to sit even though her head still hurt badly.

"Where am I?" she asked them, expecting them to ignore her.

The closer saber grinned. "You're in the last place you wanna be, witch."

Maria raised an eyebrow, "Witch?"

"Careful Montrey." The other saber said quietly to him, "You don't know what she can do."

"That's right." Maria said chuckling. "For all you know I could… read minds or something." She laughed evilly at the last part, getting scared looks from the two sabers.

"_Huh. I never thought that would work." _She thought with an idea in mind.

"So Montrey huh?" She asked getting up. "Now that I know your name…" she said with a wicked grin, "I can curse you."

Montrey growled lightly but got up and backed up, glancing pleadingly at the other saber.

"Dude, switch places with me Travis!"

"Hell no you stay over there! Your cursed!" the other saber said backing away from Montrey.

"Ah so are you good sir." Maria said in a creepy voice. "I know your name now too."

Travis got a frightened look and then growled at Montrey. "Great. Thanks a whole lot Montrey!"

"Calm yourselves gentlemen." A sudden voice said at the door way. They both turned toward a giant saber that had come into the room. "Once this witch is dead there won't be anything to worry about."

Travis and Montrey both sat back down in their spots, looking very foolish and feeling very stupid. The great saber came up toward Maria, circling her and watching her every move.

"So, you are the fortuneteller's daughter… and my cousin's daughter too, I can plainly see. You look so much like him."

Maria ignored him, sitting smugly in the middle of the circle he was creating. Matchitehew grinned.

"And you act like him." he said getting into her face. "As proud as a pride of lions."

Maria rolled her eyes but said nothing. The older saber circled her again, noting how old she looked. She _looked_ much older than one; she _looked_ two or three at least.

"So. Fortuneteller… did you see this coming?" he asked in an amused tone.

Maria suddenly got a worried look on her face. She saw sabers and wolfs fighting one another in an endless battle. She remembered that vision… that night with Avnar…

"Yes." she said in a choked voice.

Matchitehew gave her a shocked look, "Really?" he asked in slight surprise. "Well fortuneteller, let's put you to the test. I'll ask you a question and you answer it."

"I can't do that. I only get visions when I'm sleeping." She said.

"Liar." He spat, "now answer this… why does your father hate me so much? Why does he want to rip me to shreds?"

Maria blinked. She felt light; she felt sudden power in her, and in that single blink she saw her father and Matchitehew fighting. Diego paused and looked Matchitehew in the eye.

"_Matchitehew killed my parents…"_ said an echoing voice.

She gasped at the unexpectedness of the vision. She looked at Matchitehew, "You killed his parents."

He nodded, "Very good. Now tell me… what am I going to do to you and your mother?"

Again she blinked. She saw nothing. Maria smiled.

"Absolutely nothing."

* * *

_**I personally think that was a bit rushed, so if anything confused you don't be afraid to ask about it! Please R&R!! **_


	20. Chapter 20

_**What's that readers? You want **_**MORE **_**cliff**__**-hangers?! Alright then! More **__**cliff**__**-hangers for everyone!! ;)**_

* * *

The wood was deathly silent as Avnar followed Damian to the back of the cave. Not a bird, owl, deer, or even a whispering wind of the trees could be heard; every step he took sounded like thunder, and with his brethren behind him it sounded like crashing symbols. Damian looked back with a joking look on his face.

"Couldn't have picked a quieter night, huh?" he whispered.

Avnar smiled lightly, but still couldn't ignore the fleeting thought that if this didn't work not only would Nelida's life be on the line, but Maria's as well. He swallowed the thought roughly, forcing it to stay down. The woods suddenly stopped and there was a sudden cliff before the group. Damian looked back.

"There's a path down the cliff side. When Arthur gives the signal we'll go through the back entrance and chase the pack to the front. Two at a time, watch your step." He said going down with Avnar beside him.

They walked in silence, Avnar glancing every once in a while at the long fall below. He began to shiver and press onto Damian who chuckled lightly.

"Don't look at the drop, it'll make you nervous if you do." He said.

Avnar looked at him, "Cat's are usually used to this aren't they? Maria said it gives you an advantage to jump from high ground onto prey."

"Diego did teach her well. Yeah it does help, especially when you're younger." He replied. "But I wouldn't jump this high. Do more damage to yourself than the prey."

The wolf nodded, keeping his eyes on the path in front of him. Slowly he began to relax as the group slowed to a halt. Damian looked behind him at the large group who also seemed nervous about the cliff side. He turned back toward the front and chuckled.

"Now we wait?" Avnar asked.

Damian nodded, "Now we wait."

* * *

Matchitehew eyed the female tiger with great interest. She gave him a smug look back, being Diego's kid and all. Maria sighed.

"Don't you have anything better to do than stare at me?" she said in a sassy tone.

"We're waiting." He said glancing at his claws.

"For what exactly?" Maria asked, raising a brow cockily.

He looked at her, "You're the fortuneteller are you not? Figure it out for yourself."

"Don't feel like it." She replied.

"Do something witch." He said, "If you can do anything other than being annoying."

"That's your job." Maria said coolly.

Matchitehew growled, "Do you want me to kill you witch?" he said angrily.

"You're planning to anyway." She replied looking at her claws the same way Matchitehew did.

He sat back down with an impressed look on his face, "You're very brave for a year old female." He complemented.

"Nothing to fear but fear itself." Maria said, "If fear exists that is…"

"Of course fear exists." Matchitehew said getting closer to her, "If it didn't I would not be the leader of this pack."

Maria shook her head, "Why would they fear you if they could take you down as easily as blowing out a candle?"

"I don't get your meaning witch." The male said.

"There's only one of you. If the whole pack decided to attack you, why couldn't they?" She said, looking over at Montrey and Travis who gave her questioning looks.

"They're too stupid to attack me." Matchitehew said. "They couldn't attack a baby rabbit let alone me."

Maria chuckled and glanced again at Travis and Montrey. They both had on angered faces; they looked at one another and nodded. Without a word they slinked off and both went opposite ways into the cave. Maria took a step back from Matchitehew and sat on her haunches smiling to herself.

"Stupidity is only an advantage." She said.

"How so?" the bigger saber asked.

"More room to learn bigger and better things…"

* * *

Two sabers paced back and forth at the main entrance of the cave, passing by each other in a rhythmic pattern. Two other sabers and a wolf crouched in a nearby shrub, watching them go by and planning their attack. Suddenly the two guarding sabers stopped as a smaller saber came up to them. The planning attackers strained their ears to hear their conversation.

"Are you crazy?" A large guard said to the smaller saber.

"Think about it. There's so many of us and one of him. Aren't you tired of him treating us like crap?"

"I think Travis has a point." The female guard said, "I mean there's strength in numbers right?"

"Sure. But--"

"What are the odds that he would win? Seriously think about it! We could start our own pack without him. Have a fair leader for a chance!" the female pressed.

The other guard was silent for a moment, and then looked at Travis. "How many have you convinced?"

Travis sighed, "About twenty--"

"Twenty? Out of eighty-five? Dude I had high hopes until you told me this!"

Suddenly he stopped mid sentence as an unknown saber appeared from a shrub. "You want to get rid of Matchitehew huh?" He said coolly, "So do I."

"Who are you?" the female guard asked.

"Dude! He looks exactly like the fortuneteller's daughter!" Travis interrupted.

Diego rolled his eyes, "Look do you want help or not?"

"_You_? Help _us_?" the guard said, "You and what army?"

The saber smiled, "The wolf army." He said.

The three sabers in front of him dropped their jaws as a whole bunch of wolfs appeared from behind trees and shrubs. They gave Diego shocked looks as the fortuneteller Matchitehew had described to them casually walked up beside him.

"Gather everyone who wants to help. Keep it on the down low and we'll attack when everything is settled." He said.

Immediately Travis ran back into the cave, and like nothing had happened the wolf pack hid again and the guards continued their pattern.

* * *

Aiden led half of his group to the west entrance, and then went around with the other half to the east. As they headed toward the east side however, they heard someone coming toward the group. The wolf's stopped and Aiden went ahead, trying to look as casual as possible. Two sabers came up; one with a tawny coat and the other resembling Aiyana. Aiden almost thought it was Aiyana for a moment but realized in the nick of time that it wasn't. They looked just as surprised about running into someone as much as he was.

"Are you Aiden?" The male asked, looking around briefly.

"Who wants to know?" He said calmly.

"I do punk!" The female said suddenly, "Are you one of Aiyana's stupid friends or not!?"

Aiden backed up at the female's outburst. "Ya know a please would be sufficient!"

"Whatever. Are you or are you not?" she replied.

"Yeah, okay! Who exactly are _you_?!" he retorted.

The female was about to respond before she was pushed aside by the tawny. "Dannie, stop arguing with him." he said roughly. "Don't mind her, she can be hot tempered." He said to Aiden. "I'm Aiyana's father, just call me Mark. This is her half sister, Dannie."

"_Half?"_ Aiden asked.

"Same mom." Dannie murmured.

"So you're on our side I'm guessing." Aiden continued.

"I reckon." Mark replied. "How can we help?"

* * *

_**Muahahahaha! **__**Sorry, I luv being evil! xD R&R please, and I'll update asap!**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**Have you heard that when a sequel is made, it's longer and darker than the first? It's TRUE! This story is proof of it… eh, just wanted to say that cuz I'm bored. REVIEW!**_

Some wolfs can wait for days on end. Those wolfs are good trackers, spies, and usually very good leaders. Then there are wolfs like Avnar, who can wait for two hours at the most and then get impatient… very impatient. Maybe it had something to do with his age? Or the fact that he is a male, seeing that one of his sisters behind him looks very calm? Whatever the case, he began to whimper, and puff, and sigh. He wasn't the only one either; there were a good few behind him who were doing the same.

Once again he sighed, wondering what was taking so long.

"Sigh one more time and I'll pull your legs off and beat you with them." Damian breathed beside him.

"How can you? You don't have thumbs." He said just as quietly.

Damian looked at him, "You've never done something like this have you?" he asked.

Avnar shook his head. Damian grinned, "Trust me, the wait is worth it."

"How so?" the wolf asked.

"You won't believe the adrenaline rush you get from spying, or tracking." He said lying down.

Avnar shook his head, "How can you possibly enjoy tracking someone, or attack your own pack?"

"I didn't say I enjoyed it." Damian muttered, "I guess it's something you get after doing it for a while."

"How long have you been tracking?" Avnar asked.

Damian chuckled and looked at the world beyond the cliff, "I wasn't much younger than you when I had my first scouting lesson… Nelida taught me almost everything I know."

"She used to track?" Avnar asked, astonished.

"She was one of the best… before she came back with that thing on her forehead, and then she was kicked out of the pack." Damian trailed off at the last part, a blank stare covering his face.

Avnar looked off into the distance, "You know there should be like a pack that's filled with fortunetellers. Or like a peace pack or something."

"Keep dreaming." Damian murmured.

Avnar was about to retort before he heard something. Claws clicked in front of them and muffled voices were coming closer. Damian stood up quickly and looked behind him, seeing the other wolfs who were lying down doing the same. He shushed them and took a step forward, looking around the ledge side. Immediately he saw about ten sabers coming out of the back entrance and heading toward them.

"Back up!" he whispered. "Tell everyone to back up! Now!"

The wolfs started turning around, telling the wolf behind them to back up. The message was going too slowly though, and one saber came around the corner. He was immediately face to face with Damian, who growled threateningly toward him and the sabers behind him.

"Whoa, whoa hey! We come in peace!" The saber said, "We want to get rid of Matchitehew too!"

"Yeah," a female said behind him, "we were sent here by a wolf named Arthur."

Damian looked over the group thoughtfully, "How'd you know the wolf pack was here?"

"The fortuneteller said we could stop Matchitehew if we wanted to." The saber in front said, "When I went around asking others to help the wolfs said we could help them."

"Is she alright?" Avnar asked, stepping up beside Damian. "The fortuneteller I mean."

"Yeah, she's one tough cookie." He replied.

Avnar rolled his eyes, "Tell me about it."

* * *

"You know, fortuneteller, I could spare your life." Matchitehew whispered.

"Save the lies." Maria growled.

"No lies here," the bigger saber said, "I'm offering you a job."

Maria looked away and grunted, "I'd rather die."

Matchitehew began circling her again, "On the contrary, I think you would make an excellent spy. You know your mother was spy." He paused and chuckled, "Before she became a witch of course."

"Now why would you want to kill my mother, and offer me my life to work for you?" Maria asked, watching him as he passed by her line of vision.

"You seem to have more power than your pathetic excuse for a mother."

"There are others more powerful than me." Maria muttered.

"And who would that be, my dear?" Matchitehew asked interested in what she had to say.

Maria shook her head, deciding it would be too risky to mention Avnar. But perhaps he already knew about him? "If I told you, you would try to catch the person like you have caught me."

"Ahh I see." Matchitehew purred, "A loved one perhaps?"

She turned away from him, unknowingly giving him his answer.

"I know you are wiser than that. You know as well as I that young love never lasts."

Maria looked at him coolly. "Now how would _you_ know that if no one has ever loved you back?"

Before she knew it she had three marks across her cheek, each bleeding freely and going from ear to mouth. She put a paw to her cheek and wiped the blood off, looking at it like she never knew her blood was red.

"You will think twice before insulting me, wont you?" He purred.

Suddenly a deep call rang outside of the cave. It howled intently, signaling the beginning of a long needed battle. Three more answered it, along with one that sounded like music to Maria's ears.

"Avnar!" she whispered; she glanced at Matchitehew who looked around for his entrance guards, angered that they were nowhere to be found. She chuckled, "You'll think twice before capturing the fortuneteller, wont you?"

* * *

_**It's a little short, but I'll make the next one longer for you readers that scream in pain when the page runs out. (I'm 1 of those ppl ^^) Hang tight, I'll update asap! REVIEW! **_

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	22. Chapter 22

_**Wouldn't u know it; my school had a snow day! A snow day! In NC! Dis means I can update today! YAY! About da cliff hanger thing… I don't think I can **__**stop **__**writing cliff hangers… 0_o' it's probably a disease! RUN FOR UR LIFE!!!!...... Ur still here ain't u?! I warned u!!! Sorry, hyper n da mornings. xP **_

* * *

In three great waves of grey, black, and the occasional tawny went through the cambers, chasing out the surprised pack to the front. Finally most of the pack was chased out; only to find another group of wolfs waiting for them. Some sabers began snarling as they began to realize what was going on. Before even half of the pack came back to reality the wolf pack attacked, biting and tearing mercilessly. Through the whole mess of howling, snarling, growling, and yipping, four sabers reentered the cave.

"This way! If she's still in the caves Matchitehew has her in the great chamber." Damian said with his older brother at his side.

They suddenly turned into another hall that immediately led into a room with a high ceiling and a skylight. Just before they entered the chamber they saw a figure being thrown rapidly across the room. The four sabers ran in, running into Maria who had dashed after the figure.

"Avnar!"

Three of the four sabers looked back to see what they were secretly wishing not to see. Avnar was lying on his side, whimpering and struggling to get up with Maria looking over him. He had a bite mark on his back, which was bleeding where the sabers had entered the skin. He got to his stomach and slowly stood up, glaring at the saber that attacked him. The three turned as they heard Diego growling threateningly at the larger saber.

Matchitehew chuckled, "Well, well. If it isn't little Diego. I must say, you are quite the brave one to come and attack me." he glanced at Nelida, "And you've brought the witch for me."

Again Diego growled, clearly not interested in making small talk. Maria suddenly saw her vision flash before her, remembering the hatred in her father's voice as he said the awful truth.

"Daddy, be careful." Maria whispered.

Suddenly before anything else was said, Aiden attacked Matchitehew. He pounced intrepidly onto his side, biting him on the back of his neck. This didn't seem to do much, for he threw Aiden off like a mammoth would shake the water off of its fur. Like a foot ball game in the last seconds before the winning goal the three others attacked, pushing him to the ground and each trying to tear at his throat. Maria watched feeling helpless. She was set toward the fight until Avnar began to cough and splutter blood. He fell against her shoulder, trying to stay up.

"Remember what Elder Wolf taught us?" he whispered roughly.

"I don't know if I can!" Maria said, keeping a paw under his front legs.

"I'll help you." he said, touching the ground in front of him.

As he picked up his paw a small sprout began to form, bringing forth a small blue flower. Avnar looked at Maria, his look asking her to try. She glanced up at the fighting sabers, seeing her father and mother still combating and the other two struggling to stay in the fight. Closing her eyes she focused on the tiny flower, letting Avnar lie down beside her he also closed his eyes.

The sabers stopped suddenly, watching Matchitehew as he was being lifted in the air by vines that had colorful blue and pink flowers on it. He thrashed around, clawing at the vines and getting no results as the vines grew back. He saw the two in the back of the cave, and out of the blue his eyes widened.

"Witch craft! Put me down you foul, foolish demons! Stop using your powers and fight like a true animal, you… you freaks!" he looked at Avnar, fear and hatred in his eyes. "You! You're the one more powerful than the fortuneteller's daughter!"

Avnar opened his eyes, looking at Maria. "You really think I'm stronger than you?"

Maria smiled but didn't open her eyes, "Sure. Why not?"

* * *

The battle began to get intense as more and more sabers started to retreat or join the other side. The sabers that refused to retreat or switch sides became aggressive, making it necessary to have three wolfs per saber. Aiyana ran past most sabers, jumping around or over them when they tried to stop her from getting into the cave. Suddenly one pinned her to the ground, ready to strike her with his paw above her head. Quicker than lightning, a red blur passed by and pushed the other saber over. Her sister looked down at her.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"They've been in there for a while. I'm going to see if I can help." She said getting up and running into the cave.

"Hold up." Dannie said blocking her, "Don't ya think these wolfs out here may need some help?"

Immediately after she said that the ground began to shake, and as easily as pulling a banana peel apart two mammoths came stampeding in. Wolfs began scrambling away along with the sabers to not get squished, but like they were little toys the mammoths grabbed the sabers left and right and threw them in the woods. On one of the mammoths back was Sid and the possums who were shooting peas at the sabers and frequently calling war cries like crazy maniacs. Behind the crazy parade a smaller mammoth came in, and without pausing even for a second, began kicking sabers.

"Bad Kitties!" she yelled in a sassy voice, "Don't you come up and steal my friends, or I'll be on you like a rhino with a tooth ache!"

"That's my baby!" the female mammoth said before throwing yet another saber.

Dannie looked at this site with her jaw hanging and her eye twitching from the strangeness of it all.

Aiyana walked calmly around her. "I think they have it covered."

* * *

Matchitehew continued to struggle, still tearing at the vines without mercy. Slowly though the vines began to stop regenerating. The four sabers looked back at the two, seeing that Avnar looked about ready to faint and Maria was struggling to keep the vines from failing. The blue flowers began to shrivel and fall off the vine, and the pink flowers didn't look too hot either. Suddenly Maria gasped in pain and like a falling skyscraper the vine fell, releasing Matchitehew.

"Ha! What was the use of trying to stop me with your powers when the one stronger than you can't even stand?!" he yelled triumphantly.

His success was brief for after he had said that Diego attacked him again while his guard was down. He jumped on his back, opening the wounds that Aiden had given him even further. He roared in pain, trying to throw Diego off like he had done Aiden, but Diego proved to be stronger than him. Matchitehew thrashed around, only to increase the damage Diego was inflicting on him. With another roar he rolled backwards, trying to force the saber on his back to let go. Before his back even touched the ground Diego let go and rolled away. With a thump Matchitehew landed on his back, and then was attacked by Aiden, Damian, and Nelida. The bigger saber sprung to his feet, causing Nelida to knowingly step back. Aiden and Damian didn't step back, and with a sickening crack Matchitehew grabbed Aiden by his front leg. A horrid pop was heard as Aiden was pulled by his leg and thrown a good distance.

"Aiden!" Damian yelled, trying to get to his older brother.

Matchitehew stopped him, pushing him over like it was child's play. He held one paw up, ready to strike as he held Damian down by the throat.

"I'll teach you to betray me, cub." He hissed, bringing down his paw.

Damian closed his eyes shut, ready for the pain that would come from Matchitehew's swipe. He was surprised that it never came, and instead he stood up quickly to see Aiyana in front of him. She growled angrily, glancing quickly at Damian as he got up. Damian looked and saw Nelida and another red colored saber hovered over Aiden. Without a word Diego lined up beside Aiyana, creating a semicircle around Matchitehew. They closed in, making Matchitehew back into a corner. Unexpectedly three became four as Maria stood beside Damian.

"'_Attack them by surprise.'_" Aiyana said, mocking Matchitehew's voice. "'_Slash their throats before they even know you're there.'_"

Matchitehew didn't seem moved.

"'_We have careful plans and strategies to take the fortune teller from her. Right from under their noses.'_" Damian whispered, taking a step forward.

Matchitehew took a step back.

"'_Once this witch is dead there won't be anything to worry about.'_" Maria said in an ironic tone.

"'_I must say, you are quite the brave one to come and attack me.'_" Diego growled, getting into Matchitehew's face. "What comes around, goes around, Cousin Match."

As if she had been waiting for Diego to say his line, Aiyana attacked Matchitehew, tearing at his throat. Diego followed, pushing him down onto his side and pinning him to the ground with Damian helping. Aiyana pulled back, looking bitterly down at Matchitehew.

"That was for my mom." She said. "And anyone else you have killed."

Maria came up beside her, looking down at him with hatred in her eyes. It suddenly simmered down to sadness as she looked at him.

"This could have been avoided, you know." Maria whispered. "My mom and I didn't ask for this. And we weren't bothering you. Just because we're different, doesn't mean we're evil. For all you know, we could have been chosen for a great purpose." She looked over at her wolf friend who was being taken care of by Nelida. "Really… if you hadn't known we could see the future, or control elements… would you really want to kill us?" Matchitehew looked down sadly. Maria continued, "If you think about it, we don't look any different than any other saber… or wolf."

Matchitehew looked up, the darkness of dying filling his eyes. His breathing began to get shallow, and he swallowed roughly. "You never know what you've done wrong… until it's too late." He whispered.

Without another word between the sabers, he placed his head down and allowed himself to sleep. His breathing stopped, and the two sabers stepped off of him. Maria looked over at Avnar, who watched her weakly. He nodded sadly, leaning against Nelida for support. After everyone slowly left, Maria looked down sadly at Matchitehew's body. With a tap on the ground a small daisy grew beside his paw.

Her head low, she closed her eyes and whispered, "Rest in peace."

* * *

**_Possibly one of my best works yet. What do u think? REVIEW PLEASE!!!!_**


	23. Chapter 23

Even though the battle was over and they had won, no one had anything to say. The cave was silent as sabers quietly cleaned their lacerated wounds, and a few wolfs tried to sleep, whining as their sores pained them in their sleep. The wolf pack had left, but some stayed knowing that their legs would falter towards the end of the walk home, and for some, never to walk again. Three wolfs stayed behind to wait for the rest of the pack: Tatiana, who was taking care of her son, Arthur, who wanted to make sure most-if not all-of the injured pack came home safely, and finally the new Elder Wolf.

The herd sat in its usual circle, a fire burning in the middle of it. Not even Sid, who was quite proud of the fires he had made for the other wolfs and sabers, had anything to say. The sabers were in their usual line, cleaning the cuts on their bodies or helping their family member clean a back injury. At the end of the line, Maria didn't clean the wound on her face, or even have someone help her. She lay beside Trevor who was sleeping as Viridian cleaned an awful cut between his shoulder blades. As she stared at the fire she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder; she looked up and saw her sister, partially standing over Trevor to be eye-to-eye with Maria.

"Are you okay?" she said softly in a hoarse voice.

Maria sighed, "I guess. I mean we won right?" she looked away sadly, "What's not to be okay about?" she whispered cheerlessly.

"It's Avnar isn't it?" Viridian asked gently.

Maria nodded, "It's everyone. I can't believe that a simple disagreement could put so many lives at sake."

"Well… Elder Wolf said everyone should be alright, including Avnar--"

"I don't trust _that_ Elder Wolf." Maria whispered longingly, "and he said if something went wrong then…" She stood up suddenly and walked away slowly.

Viridian stared after her, sighing sadly.

"That's what love does to you." Trevor whispered softly under Viridian. "Makes you crazy."

"You heard all that?" his sister asked, lying back down beside him.

"Just enough for me to worry about her." He whispered painfully. "Promise me you won't fall in love."

Viridian chuckled, "I don't think I can make that promise." She said nuzzling him softly, "Go back to sleep, Trevor. I'm sure Maria will be alright."

Her brother hummed thoughtfully, laying his head back on his paws. Viridian looked back at the tunnel Maria took to go outside, sighing sadly as she continued to clean Trevor's back.

* * *

Birds finally began to sing, as if knowing the fight was over. The sky was an Egyptian blue as the sun began to light the sky. Colors started to turn from the previous black to their original color when the sun began to seep in quietly. The wind whistled by, pushing the cool air to the top of the cliff. The stars disappeared in the east, leaving the empty longing for their shining beauty.

Maria sat at the edge of the cliff, the steepness below giving her a light, sickening feeling as she looked down. She changed her attention to the world below, now a light blue color. Normally the sun rising in the distance and giving the world color like a mother would give life to a child would lighten her heart, giving her a sense of hope and freedom. This beautiful morning didn't change her, though. It seemed like nothing as her mind raced over the mere thought of life in general. She felt empty, almost leaving her body as she thought over what had happen, asking herself questions that would never have an answer.

Why her? Out of the many sabers, why was she chosen to be a fortuneteller? Out of her brothers and sister, why was she the one with the gift? Why was her mother given the gift? Why Avnar? Why him, and not his sisters or brothers? WHY?

The questions stopped suddenly as everything suddenly seemed to discontinue. The birds quieted down, and the sound of paws stepping in the soft grass came to her ears. She didn't turn, expecting one of her brothers' voices to come to her. Or her sister.

The person didn't stop though and came even closer. One of her parents then? Or even the new Elder Wolf. Arthur perhaps?

Finally whoever it was stopped right behind her, as if waiting for her to say something. The strong, familiar scent came to her suddenly; she sighed sadly.

"You're supposed to be asleep." She muttered hoarsely.

"So are you."

Maria didn't respond. Avnar calmly came to sit beside her.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispered, looking at the world beyond.

"Why." she said nonchalant.

"Because I want to know." He replied.

Maria shook her head, "No. That's what I was thinking about." She paused with a sigh. "Don't you ever wonder why _we_ had to have the gift?"

"Every day." Avnar said remorsefully. "But it's worth it."

The saber didn't ask for a while, pondering his reason. She shook her head, "How so?"

They didn't once look at each other. They continued to look out as the sun came up. Avnar sighed.

"Remember how we met?"

"We both had the same vision. I went for a walk and you followed me." Maria said with a nod.

"What would have happened if I wasn't a fortuneteller?" he said quietly, "I would have never had that vision, and I wouldn't have woken up in the middle of the night from it and ran into you."

Maria thought this over, "But I thought_ I_ woke you up?"

Avnar shook his head, "The vision woke me up. You just went by when I tried to go back to sleep."

She hummed thoughtfully, "But what does that have to do with it?"

"Without the gift, I would have never have met you." Avnar said quietly, "And you're the closest thing to a… a friend I have."

"You weren't going to say that." Maria whispered.

Avnar looked at her, "What?"

"You weren't going to say friend." She trailed off as she looked at his back; the two holes under his spine showed where Matchitehew had grabbed him by his back.

He followed her glance, trying to look around but he grimaced in pain. "It doesn't hurt as badly as it looks." He muttered looking away.

Maria gently put a paw on his behind his neck, slowly moving her paw toward the scars. She got to the wound but Avnar suddenly yipped and pulled back, his tail between his legs and his ears pinned back.

"I'm sorry." Maria said sadly, "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"No it wasn't you." he replied coming back beside her. "I lost my balance and leaned against your paw."

"It does hurt doesn't it?" She asked. He didn't answer, but a small whimper answered her. "You really need some more sleep."

"I'm fine." Avnar muttered.

She shook her head, "I don't want you to get even worse." Maria looked at his back. "Look, it's bleeding again. Please go back."

Avnar looked her in the eye, the care that showed in her eyes making his heart flutter. "Can… can I just stay with you?"

Maria's eyes softened. "I-I guess." Her eyes went back to concern, "You've got to sleep though… please?"

Avnar nodded, and without a second thought lay where he sat. Maria smiled but looked over at the scratch that had started bleeding again. The blood trickled down his sides slowly, and softly he whimpered, trying to get his back comfortable. She bit her lip, knowing what the right thing to do was, but didn't know if Avnar would be comfortable with it.

Taking the risk, she lowered her head and started licking the wound clean. Avnar flinched violently, but calmed down again when he realized what she was doing. He muttered a light thank-you as he began to fall back to sleep.

He fell asleep as the sun turned the sky a light orange. After the blood ceased to flow Maria lied down beside him, lapping her tongue between his ears and his shoulder blades. This continued for a moment and then the saber yawned. She put her head on her paws and looked back at the now fully colored world beyond. She smiled softly, realizing that the feeling of hope and freedom was filling into her heart once more.

* * *

**_*Yawn* great. I'm gonna loose an hour of sleep anyway, and I'm up 1:01 AM. Or 2:01 really... i think... idk, dis spring changing of da clocks thing is confusing. all i no is n spring u spring ahead, and n fall u fall back. w/e..._**

**_i thought dis chapter was... eh, bland. REVIEW PLEASE! GIVE ME CRITICISM!!! BE MEAN ABOUT IT. GGRRRRR!!! DONT STAY UP ALL NIGHT LIKE I DO OR U'LL B CRAZY & WIERD LIKE ME! 0_o'_**


	24. Chapter 24

There was a lot of commotion as Maria and Avnar came up to the cave that afternoon. The sabers-not counting Maria's family- were having a meeting of some sort. Tatiana ran up to the two once they had entered the cave.

"Oh, Avnar! You had me worried sick!" she said, ushering him back to where he had slept earlier.

"I'm fine Mom. Sorry for worrying you." Avnar replied, following his mother.

He looked back toward Maria, who was smiling sadly and shrugging as his mother pulled him away. She shook her head as he disappeared and went into the corner where her herd was.

"What are they talking about over there?" she asked her brother Payton.

He shrugged, "Something about a leader."

"They're gonna form a new pack." Trevor answered, "They're arguing over who's gonna be the pack leader."

"I heard them say your name earlier." Viridian commented.

Maria raised an eye ridge, "My name?"

"I think they're thinking about having you as their leader!" Payton said excitedly. "Wouldn't that be cool? To be the leader of a pack of much older sabers."

"Maybe. But I'm probably too young to be a leader." She said, looking out toward the crowd of sabers.

"I think you'd be a great leader." Trevor said.

Maria smiled, "Thanks. I don't think I could leave the herd though…"

"I sure can." Dillon muttered.

They paused their discussion as Aiyana and Damian came toward them.

"Hey there sexy." Dillon growled toward Aiyana.

She rolled her eyes, "I have a name. But _you'll_ refer to me as, _Taken_." Damian chuckled. "Plus," she added, "You're too young for me."

With that they both walked off, quietly laughing at the look on Dillon's face. He looked like he had been slapped by a ghost. Viridian laughed the hardest.

"Ha. You just got told!" she stood up as she added, "Now that the love of your life is gone, you can find someone your own age."

She started to walk off, "Where are you going?" Payton asked her.

She looked around at him, "I'm gonna ask if I can join their pack."

"Really? Did you tell Mom and Dad?" Trevor asked getting up.

"Yeah. They said it was fine. They also told me that if you four wanted to join me, that you could." She said walking off.

Payton looked over at Trevor, "What do you think?"

"It's probably a really good opportunity." Trevor said following his sister.

Payton raised a brow, "A good what now?" he asked stupidly.

Trevor shook his head, "Just come on." He said, letting him run out in front of him, "Are you two coming?" he asked looking at Dillon and Maria.

Dillon nodded, "Anything to get away from Sid."

He walked past Trevor, who was still giving Maria a questioning glance, "Maria?"

She looked up at him, and then looked over at the herd. She remembered Avnar and wondered what he would think. She sighed, "You go ahead and ask. If they asked about me, tell them I'm thinking about it."

He nodded and went off toward where his brothers and sister had entered the pack meeting. She watched them go, almost sadly, and then stood herself and went after Avnar and his mom. She passed a few sabers and wolfs that were recovering, including Aiden who was bickering with Aiyana's older sister.

She smiled as she went pass the two, remembering Aiyana's conversation with Aiden…

* * *

"_You know, that was a really stupid move." Dannie said, dropping Aiden off of her shoulder._

_He landed with a grunt and glared at her, "You know dropping me around isn't going to cure me."_

"_Who said I wanted you to get better?" she growled, walking past her sister who was entering the small cave with Damian._

"_I think she likes you." Aiyana chuckled._

"_That devil? I don't even know her and she already hates me." _

"_She does that to all the guys she thinks is cute." Aiyana stated plainly as she lied down beside Damian. _

_Aiden looked up a Maria, who had followed them after leaving Avnar to rest. _

"_Hey. You can read minds right?" _

_Maria gave him a curious look, "You want me to read her mind and find out if she likes you or not?" she said._

_Aiden's eyes widened, "You just read my mind!" _

_Aiyana rolled her eyes, "Or maybe she just guessed."_

"_So, will you do it?" He started._

_Maria smiled, "Depends on why you want to know."_

_Aiden paused, "Because I want to prove Aiyana wrong."_

"_Or maybe because you like her." Maria said ironically, "You like how straight forward she is, and you like her eyes, and you think she has really pretty, exotic fur."_

_Damian snickered, "She played you."_

"_You found all that out in that small amount of time?" Aiden asked, shocked._

"_And a lot of other things I probably shouldn't have seen." Maria muttered._

_Aiyana and Damian busted into laughter. Aiden blushed._

"_Will you or not?" He asked angrily._

"_Already have." She replied, "She thinks you're really masculine. And she thinks you're better looking than other tawny sabers she's seen."_

"_Told you." Aiyana said._

_Aiden rolled his eyes, "Great. I have the devil cat hot on my heals."_

* * *

Maria turned into the small opening where Tatiana and Avnar were staying. Avnar raised his head as Maria came in; she smiled as she sat beside Tatiana.

"Hello Maria. Avnar was just telling me how you took care of him earlier." Tatiana said.

Avnar blushed, and the saber took notice of this. "Oh really? It's no problem Ma'am."

"Oh you don't have to call me Ma'am. Tatiana will be sufficient." She stopped half way as another wolf came in.

"Good morning Avnar, Tatiana." The new Elder Wolf said. He looked at Tatiana, "Arthur wishes to speak with you my dear."

She nodded and quickly exited. Elder Wolf looked over toward Avnar, "How are you feeling son?"

"Better sir." He said sourly.

The older wolf nodded, "Good. Well I'll be on my way."

As quickly as he had come, he left. Avnar jumped as he heard Maria growl viciously. Possibly the scariest growl he had ever heard from her. Her sabers sent a chill up his spine.

"The nerve of him!" she growled. "He didn't even acknowledge my existence!"

"Maybe he didn't see you?" Avnar said, sitting up.

"Sure. Whatever. I think he just doesn't like sabers." She shook her head angrily, "I could rip his head off with a single bite."

Avnar flinched again, looking away from Maria. Her angered face completely melted away when she realized what she was doing. She was _scaring_ him.

"I'm sorry Avnar. I didn't mean to scare you like that." She whispered.

Avnar looked at her, "It's okay. I know how you feel. I don't like the new Elder Wolf either."

There was a moment of silence as they both pondered on what to say. Suddenly Maria remembered why she had come here in the first place. She cleared her throat.

"The… The sabers that helped us. They're forming a new pack." She started, "I think… I think they want me to be their leader."

She looked up at Avnar, who was thinking over what she had said. He looked up at her after a moment, "You should go."

"Avnar… If you don't want me to I--"

"You want to go." He stated plainly.

"Stop reading my mind." Maria said roughly, closing her eyes tightly.

Avnar took a step forward, "Okay. I won't read your mind anymore." Maria looked up at him, "I… I want you to stay but… I know you'd feel more comfortable with other sabers."

"I thought you said you wouldn't read my mind." Maria growled.

"I'm not." He growled back, and then softened his voice, "I just know you miss being with your brothers and sister. And you'd like to see what it's like to be in a pack. I never really got to be in a pack either because I was barely old enough to leave the den when Elder Wolf taught us."

Maria looked down at his paw, the one with the red star that had grown in the past year. The mark on her shoulder had also grown to a considerable size. She looked back up at him.

"So… we'll just go our separate ways?" she asked softly.

Avnar sighed, "If it's what you want. I won't say otherwise."

"That's not what I want." Maria chocked. "I'd rather just… I don't know."

Avnar sighed; he lightly put a paw over one of Maria's. "I had a vision earlier."

Maria looked up, "What was it about?" she whispered.

"A pack of sabers… and a pack of wolfs. They were both listening to a speech that a saber was giving." He whispered back.

"A… a saber?" she asked. "Did you know who it was?"

Avnar looked up at her, "I… I think it was you."

"Me?" Maria whispered.

"You were the leader of the saber pack. I didn't see the leader of the wolf pack."

Maria looked up at him, "Maybe you were inside the body of the leader. Maybe… Perhaps you were the leader Avnar."

Avnar thought for a moment. "Maybe…" he sighed.

Maria looked at him hopefully, "Why don't you come with us?"

"Join a pack of sabers?" he asked.

"It's not much different from a wolf pack."

Avnar thought for a second, "_One_ wolf in a _pack_ of sabers?"

"Hey." She replied cheekily, "My herd has _seven_ sabers, _two _possums_, three_ mammoths, and a _sloth_. If that's not weird, then I'm a badger!"

Avnar chuckled, "But still. I mean, I'm not sure if my Mom would agree to this."

Maria hummed in thought, "How about the saber pack and the wolf pack join together!"

"That's a little farfetched." He stated.

"Well so is a fortunetelling saber, or a mind reading wolf." She retorted.

Avnar nodded, "True."

Maria got up in excitement, "Don't you see?! A wolf pack and a saber pack joined together, listening to a speech that a saber is giving. The pack outside wants me to be their leader anyway!"

"You can't really believe that they'll agree so easily. Elder Wolf isn't the only wolf that doesn't like sabers."

"Who cares!?"

Avnar stood up, "Are you completely sure that it's going to turn out that way?"

"What's life if you can't take risks?" Maria said, ushering Avnar to follow her out toward the main entrance.

"A safe life, that's what." Avnar said, following her.

Maria turned to look at him, their noses barely touching, "If you're not the one to take risks, then why were you using Crash and Eddie's advice to hit on me?"

The wolf blushed, "When did you find out?"

"When you were watching me from behind the rock." She laughed. "Come on slow poke." She said nuzzling her nose against his. "We've got history to make."

Avnar watched her run off, slightly dazed from the nose touch. He shook his head and started to trot after her.

"She's hyper this morning."

* * *

**_Being hyper is fun!!! R&R PLEASE!!!!!_**


	25. Chapter 25

The sky had just begun to turn a light pink and purple as the herd traveled down west. The three mammoths led the way, with Sid talking merrily on Manny's back and the possum brothers on Ellie's; little Mina walked in the middle, listening to the others talk. Diego and Nelida walked behind them, joining them in joyful conversation. Sid whooped a happy laugh.

"Finally! No wolfs!"

"I know that's right!" Mina said just as happily.

Nelida chuckled, "They weren't that bad."

"They treated you like a goddess. It's no wonder you were alright with them." Manny said, looking back toward her.

The saber shrugged, and then sighed, "I'm gonna miss my babies."

"Let them go, Nell." Ellie joked, "They're not really going anywhere."

"Can yall believe it? A wolf pack _and_ a saber pack put together!" Crash said.

"Yeah. What was she thinking?" Eddie finished.

Mina looked up at the two, "I liked the idea." She said. "I mean two different packs in peace with one another and changing the way others look at fortunetelling. It's really cool."

"It's really weird, that's what it is." Manny grunted.

"Oh what? This herd here isn't weird enough for you to consider it that way?" Ellie joked, punching Manny gently with her trunk.

Manny rolled his eyes, "That's different."

"What do you call a saber and a wolf put together?" Sid said suddenly.

Diego gave him a look, "Please Sid. No jokes from you."

"It's not a joke!" Sid complained, "I was _actually_ asking a question."

There was a still silence for a moment. Nelida gathered a strained look.

"Err. A wober?" she asked.

"Don't encourage him!" Manny said.

"No no. A solf!" Ellie said.

Manny sighed, "Oh boy."

Mina giggled, "A wafer!"

"A sabolf?" Diego suggested.

"Not _you_ _too_!" Manny groaned.

"A swaolfber!" Crash and Eddie said.

Sid hummed in thought, "Alright. But what would you call a _baby_ saber/wolf?"

Another still silence. Mina giggled.

"A cuppy." She laughed.

Ellie chuckled, "A pub?"

"A cup maybe?" Nelida laughed.

"How about cubby?" Diego added.

Manny shook his head in annoyance. "Come on now. Why are we even talking about this?"

"A pcubpy!" Eddie said, his brother nodding in approval.

"Really! Why are we talking about this?" Manny said again.

Everyone looked at Sid, who was shrugging, "Just wondering."

Everyone chuckled, and then everything went quiet for a moment. Sid yawned.

"Glad it's all over." He muttered.

Mina nodded, "No more wolfs."

"No more 'kill the fortuneteller plans'." Ellie sighed.

"No more 'save the fortuneteller plans'." Manny said.

"No more fighting." Nelida said, smiling toward Diego.

"No more pup-sitting." Crash and Eddie said in unison.

"And finally, no more cubs!" Diego finished.

Nelida laughed nervously, "Uhhh. Yeah, sure. No more cubs… for now…"

Diego's eyes widened, "Please tell me you're joking."

The herd stopped and looked at Nelida anxiously. She smiled guiltily.

"Well… remember when I told you about the vision I had before the cubs were born?" she started.

"The one about Maria?" Diego asked.

Nelida nodded, "One of the visions didn't come true… the one where Maria was telling me that she thought she could see the future. I thought about it… and I realized that the mark on her shoulder wasn't on her right shoulder, it was on her left."

"Nell. What are you trying to say?" He asked, almost angrily.

"I… well. I figured there were only two ways that could happen: One, Maria's cub could have the same gift, or I could have another cub like Maria… and I realized that… I'm… kinda…. Pregnant."

There was a pause, and suddenly Eddie cheered.

"Ha! I told you she would get pregnant again before spring was over!" he exclaimed, "Now, my brotha, you owe me every strawberry you find this year! And Sid, you owe me three weeks of being my slave!"

They both groaned in defeat, as did Diego.

"Not again!" he cried lightheartedly, receiving a nip from Nelida.

Mina jumped for joy, "Yay! More baby tigers!"

Manny turned back toward the path they were following, laughing silently. Ellie also turned with Mina in tow. Sid laughed and turned on Manny's back to look at Diego.

"Stop being naughty and maybe she wouldn't get pregnant!" he said teasingly to him.

Diego let loose a playful growl, "Can't help it."

Nelida gave him a suggestive look, "Neither can I."

Sid gagged and turned back around to the front. "You're both perverts!"

"So are Mommy and Daddy!" Mina exclaimed, "It's like totally gross! Seriously, gag me with a spoon!"

Manny and Ellie chuckled. Crash and Eddie jumped from Ellie's back to Mina's.

"You got that right girl friend!" Crash said putting a hand on his hip and snapping his fingers in a sassy motion.

"Ya. Like totally grossy to the max." Eddie added imitating Mina's teen slang.

Manny groaned, "This is never gonna end is it?"

Ellie giggled, "No it's not."

"Why did I fall in love with a _fortuneteller_?!?" Diego cried to the sky.

"Why did I fall in love with an _outcast_?!?" Nelida replied, mocking Diego.

She screamed as Diego tried to pounce on her but missed by a few inches. Nelida ran ahead, Diego hot on her tail.

"You'll never catch me!" She yelled behind her, her voice fading as they ran farther ahead from the herd.

"We'll see about that, _fortuneteller_!" Diego yelled back, laughing lightly.

"_Outcast_!" she retorted halfheartedly.

The possum brothers ran after them, jumping over one another, wrestling each other to the ground and slapping themselves with their tails. Sid and the mammoths laughed as Diego finally caught up with Nelida, pinning her to the ground. The possums got to the two, jumping on Diego's back and trying to get him off of Nelida.

Mina smiled as Diego ignored them and nuzzled Nelida lovingly. She sighed, "It's like an endless circle… they'll have cubs, their cubs will have cubs… it'll never end."

Manny and Ellie exchanged confused looks. Mina paid no mind and ran ahead to catch up with the others.

"Where did she get her smarts from?" Manny asked.

Ellie shrugged, "I kinda thought it was from you."

"No, she got her stubbornness from me. I have no idea where she got so smart."

"Well I don't know!" Ellie said.

Manny thought for a moment, "Maybe from your parents?"

Ellie looked thoughtfully at Manny. "Maybe."

They walked in silence for a moment before Sid yawned again.

"She's still a weird kid." He muttered.

The mammoths chuckled, following the sabers who were still chasing each other like cubs, the possums who raced to catch up with them, and their daughter who was laughing merrily and ushering them to follow faster.

For now, the future was unknown, but even if you didn't know exactly what was to happen you could tell that the future was bright.

* * *

_**dont panic yet! do u see anything dat says, "The End" or "Complete?" it's not over yet! dont cry! u can cry next weekend wen i finish da story w/ its last chapter! Muahahaha!**_

_**R&R Please!**_


	26. Chapter 26

Everyone strives to be different; whether it be a special skill that they alone have, a talent that no other can repeat, or a super power beyond anyone's imagination, everyone tries to separate themselves from others, getting more attention and, possibly, more respect.

I can't say the same for my mate and I. We try to be, as some call it, the paragon of a normal saber… or in his case, a normal wolf. Why I have chosen a wolf for my mate is anyone's guess. Perhaps I'm just destined to be different from the world. Who knows? But I'm getting off of the subject…

For as long as I can remember, I have been different. From the screams at night, to the strange déjà vu feelings I used to have daily, I've been looked upon as the strange one of the litter. My mate's story is no different: picked young to change the world, even though we knew next to nothing about the strange and confusing world we had just been introduced to.

Whether we knew it or not, it was basically our job to change this world… even though we had no idea how. Today, we have started our change. Well technically, we started long ago when I took the roll of the pack leader back when I was nearly a year old. With my love beside me, we grew into a strong pack, now called the _White Blossom_.

As I walked onto the great rock, looking down towards the group of sabers, I suddenly forgot everything I had planned to say. I paused for a moment, wondering where to start. They looked up at me expectantly, waiting for me to say something. I cleared my throat, for all of a sudden it was dry from stage fright, and started with the first thing that came to my mind…

"My mother had the same gift… the gift that is also a curse. It takes great responsibility to tame this irritation." I paused, calming down slightly.

I continued bravely, "Although many say they fear it, they don't. They just don't understand it. This new pack will spread eventually and people will learn that this is not something of evil spirits, angels, or good spirits. This was a gift that my mother and I were chosen for. Although we are selves do not fully understand why we were given this endowment, we know that we were given it for good. And this pack alone can change the way others think of difference."

I smiled slightly as a few sabers agreed with enthusiasm, one of them being my faithful brother Trevor.

I mustered a great amount of hope as I finished the extremely short speech, "Let us change, for a new beginning!"

They all roared in conformity, some laughing happily as I walked calmly off the "stage." I was greeted with a few sabers who said words of gratitude or congratulation. I nodded, listening contently to their introduction, and how they thought the idea of a saber/wolf pack was genius, or in some cases, slightly mental. My sister Viridian came up to me, smiling slightly.

"That was great." She said awestruck, "It's no wonder you get so many new sabers and wolfs to join the pack."

I shrugged, "Sappy and straight to the point. Wasn't that Dad's motto?"

"Still is." She replied with a chuckle, she suddenly became more professional. "What would you like for me to do now? Do you want me to keep them here? Or perhaps show them where our boundaries are?"

I hummed in thought, "Introduce them to the pack first. Then you can give them the grand tour."

"If they can keep up." Viridian laughed.

I shook my head and laughed, "Good luck with that."

I smiled as I watched her go up onto the large rock and tell the group to follow her toward the dens where the pack stayed. Chuckling quietly to myself, I headed the opposite direction of the group, toward the den where I reside.

After a short walk I came upon a small hole in the side of a rising hill, covered in small vines and the occasional flower. I quickly spotted Avnar, who was sleeping as our two children (or cuppies as my family calls them) tortured him. I laughed at their attempt to wake him up, attracting their attention towards my direction. They ran up at amazing, stubby legged speed, leaving their father to sleep for the time being.

It was a strange experience: having cubs with Avnar. No one knew what they'd look like. My family betted on who was closest to their description and Mina won, getting something from each person.

They had a peppered, tawny colored pelt; my son's coat, David, darker than my daughter's, Nina. They appeared to have wolf ears that were long enough to slightly bend at the top of each ear, flopping crazily as they ran. They also had their father's long tail and snout, but had my smaller, more agile paws. Our cuppies could bark like wolfs, howl like wolfs, and yet have the deep, threatening growl of a saber. Like a saber cub, they had small, stubby legs that would grow to be incredibly strong. Finally, the icing to our strange creation cakes, they had large sabers, possibly larger than a normal tigers.

Strange? Perhaps. Insanely adorable? Absolutely!

Others still gave them curious looks as they played along the boundaries of our pack, wondering what in the world they were. When so many others asked what they were, we decided to call them what my family decided to call them, Sabolfs.

David and Nina raced over to me, laughing bubbly as they crashed into my legs.

"Hi Mommy!" they said in unison, following me as I continued toward Avnar.

"Hey babies. Did you have fun with Daddy?" I asked in my usual baby voice.

"Daddy went sweep, sweep." Nina whined, sounding much like a wolf's whine.

I smiled, "Did he now?" I cooed as I started pressing my paw against Avnar's tail. "Did you try this?"

Avnar jumped an unbelievable height, yelping loudly and spinning around angrily to see who had done the horrible thing to him. He growled lightly until he noticed it was me, causing the children and me to laugh. He rolled his eyes.

"I was sleeping." He muttered grumpily.

I nodded, "I saw that." I replied nonchalant, capturing David to give him a short bath.

"I was having a strange dream." He said, sitting beside me.

"Oh?" I said, pausing from David's bath.

Avnar nodded, "I had a dream that it was raining cuppies…" he said, glaring at David.

Nina giggled from behind my leg as David gulped. I continued with his bath.

"Well that's interesting." I said between licks.

Avnar was about to retort, but then the soft movement of grass caught our ears. We looked up to see one of our friends Damian, who looked kind of rushed.

"Hey guys." He said hurriedly, sitting on my other side.

He grabbed Nina from beside me and gave her a small noogie, making her growl slightly. I let David go, for he was struggling to get away from me and get his normal noogie. Damian did the same for him and let him run off with his sister.

"What brings you here?" I asked.

Damian sighed, "Aiyana's Dad's trying to kill me." he said sadly, and then chuckled. "I thought I could hide out with you four."

"What's he trying to kill you for this time?" Avnar asked.

He bit his lip, looking a little guilty, "I… kinda got Aiyana pregnant…"

"Congrats Damian." I said trying to block out Avnar's coughing sounds as he seemed to be choking on his own spit.

"Sure. If you say so. I'm gonna let him cool down before I see them again." He said with a laugh.

I shook my head, "I'm sure he's happy on the inside." I said to comfort him in any way.

"You can find that out can't you?" He asked suddenly, giving me a pleading look.

I shook my head again, "Sorry Damian, I don't use my powers for evil." I smiled at his saddened face, "I don't need to use them anyway. I know she's wanted cubs for some time now, and she'll convince him not to kill you."

He smiled in return and stood up, "Thanks Maria. With that in mind, it might be safe to go talk to them."

I nodded, watching him go with slight amusement. Avnar laughed lightly.

"Funny. I thought _your _Dad would kill me when I found out you were pregnant too." He said half-heartedly.

"He wasn't really gonna kill you." I said.

He nodded, and then chuckled again, "Look, he's coming back. Guess he chickened out."

Damian returned, standing sheepishly in front of us. "I forgot: I was supposed to tell you that your herd has come by and is heading this way. They're just passing through to say hi."

"Oh, thank-you." I said happily, getting up and looking over at the cuppies, who had managed to get stuck in a tree.

Avnar followed my confused gaze and laughed, following me to fetch them up. As I pulled David down and handed him to Avnar I said, "Grandma and Grandpa are coming."

Nina gasped, "Is Uncle Sid, and Uncle Manny, and Auntie--"

"Yes Nina. They're all coming."

She laughed happily, jumping from Avnar's grasp and clumsily onto the ground. I came down from the tree branch I was in and landed beside Avnar.

"How far do you think they are?" He asked me.

"We're right here." A voice said, drawing our attention to where Damian had previously stood.

The cuppies ran up to greet their family. Sid immediately grabbed them in his arms, swinging them around and squeezing them.

I looked over the herd, noticing an empty gap between Manny and Ellie. I looked up at the two.

"Where's Mina?" I asked.

Ellie chuckled, "With her new mate." She replied.

"_Really?" _I said looking at Manny, "Did you agree to this?"

He nodded, "He's good enough." He said with a shrug.

I laughed and then was attacked by my younger brother and two sisters. They looked very excited as they told me what had been going on as they traveled with the herd. Then they got to the part where Mom and Dad had decided that they were old enough to join the pack. They were extremely thrilled about that.

"That's great guys." I said, turning toward Avnar who wasn't paying attention; he was talking to my parents, giving me relief that they were still getting along just fine.

I glanced over at my younger sister, Makita, who had the same mark as me on her left shoulder. I thought about the mark for a moment, before my younger brother began asking me about the pack. Nathan was always the smart one, always asking questions; my other sister, Whitney, was just shy and never seemed to talk.

I answered his questions patiently, knowing he'd run out soon. Suddenly he stopped, staring at something behind me. I turned and saw one of our runners, Anna. I looked back at my brother, noticing the oh so familiar look he had on his face. She glanced at him shyly and then looked back at me.

"Daddy wants to know if you're okay with the newcomers to go ahead and ask for positions on the pack." She asked quietly, glancing at my brother from time to time.

I smiled, "Sure, as long as Aiden knows what he's doing."

Anna nodded, and then looked at my brother once again. She smiled and dipped her head, "Hey, how's it goin'?"

Nathan tried to say something, but it seemed his tongue didn't want to move. He swallowed and dipped his head in the same fashion Anna did. "Goin' good." He said lightly.

"See you around?" Anna asked.

He nodded, "Ya. Sure."

She smiled again and ran off toward the direction she came from. I looked at Nathans face and smiled.

"Her names Anna." I said to him, "She's one of our runners. Yes, she is single."

Nathan looked at me, "Is she a jungle saber?"

I shook my head, "Her mom is. She's only half jungle saber."

"She's pretty." He muttered, the glazed look coming over his eyes.

I laughed lightly and walked off; leaving him to stare at the path that Anna had taken.

I looked over the entire family, seeing everyone from the mammoths to the small cuppies and possums that were running around.

Recall what I was thinking about earlier… how all I wanted these days was to be a normal saber, with a normal family, and a normal pack. Scratch that. Rip it to shreds. Because, honestly, if you think about it; with a great family like this, who needs to be normal?

_**The End! **_

* * *

_**Sorry, all good things must end. Thank-u all so much! To all those reviewers, and readers that read a new chapter no matter what, thank-u guys so much! **_

_**Now, about a sequel, 'cause I no some1's gonna bring it up. I might consider writing short stories about da characters u didn't get 2 hear 2 much about, about da cuppies, about AidenXDannie &/or DamianXAiyana, ex… but it won't b 2 soon n da future, cuz I already have 2 stories on my waiting list. If u'd like 2 check dem out, it'll b a **__**Kung-Fu Panda**__** fanfic & a sequel 2 my **__**Over the Hedge**__** fanfic "A Different Spring Adventure." I haven't decided da names yet but u no my profile name.**_

_**Again, Thank-u SO much! Please don't hate me 4 ending da story… but if u do hate me, just no I still luv u guys! TTYL!**_


	27. Chapter 27

Hey yall! Wuz up?

Sorry about saying I would write a few more stories and then bailing on ya. But I have this MAJOR Writers-block. I'm not sure why, but I can't write ANYTHING!

Sooooo, I need a favor from anyone willing. I need something to write about! ANY plot that ANYONE wants! I need some help here! Just as long as it's in one of these categories…

1) Ice Age

2) Super Robot Monkey Team

3) Over the Hedge

4) Static Shock

5) Twilight (Preferably a Jacob fan but if you like Edward… I don't care.)

6) Any combination of the 5 above

7) Anything that has to relate 2 my pervious fanfics (A sequel, or a story within the story)

Thanks a whole bunch! TTYL!

~Meggie~


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